The Boy Who Vanished
by veraklon
Summary: How would everything have been different if Sirius had gotten to Harry before Hagrid did on that fateful night? A fifteen year old Harry is forced to attend Hogwart's after Black is finally captured. Eventually Harry & Ginny, I think. Please R and R
1. Prophecy Rekindled

AUTHOR'S NOTES

_Alternate Universe: Sirius Black arrived at the Potter's home before Hagrid. Sirius, along with Remus Lupin, decided to go into hiding in order to protect and properly train Harry from the forces of Voldemort. Cut to fourteen years later, where a young and unknown Harry Potter is forced to attend Hogwart's after he is separated from the men who raised him. Though he attempts to keep his identity a secret, friendships, love and tragedy never were big supporters of what someone wanted. _

_Of course, this is a fan fiction based upon the works and property of J.K. Rowling. This story is to in no way be considered a challenge to her direct ownership of her creations. All characters, places, plot devices etc. are based on her books, movies, website information… and so on._

_I would have to say that a lot of the inspiration for this tale came loosely from a story by Jeconais. Although nothing more than the first chapter was ever done, I liked the idea and decided to find a way to make it my own. I am an avid reader of fan fiction… and have been very impressed with more amateur writers than I could possibly list. As such, there is the chance that some things I've come up with were greatly influenced by other writers' work. _

_Please accept that that as the compliment it was meant to be._

_Thanks. Please Read and Review._

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PROLOGUE – PROPHECY REKINDLED

There was a brief flash… the sensation of green flames without heat surrounding him, covering him completely… inside and out, moving him from one end of the known world to another. It was always like that for him whenever he flooed. And even though his mind was filled with the multitude of possibilities, stray thoughts scattering every which way like a dropped bag of marbles, the events of this night…. More so than any other night in the past fourteen years had, he wondered for not the first (and most definitely not the last) time whether what he planned was the right thing to do.

One moment, he was at the Ministry of Magic. The day had been filled with arguing and posturing… everyone thinking that their idea was the right one, and all of them terrified that their brilliant notion would fail, but too afraid to let the chance of succeeding go to someone else. Now he stood in the silent darkness of his office, the shadows that had stood up in harsh contrast to the emerald illumination of his flooing having faded as the hearth fell cold.

"Albus?" A voice called from the darkness.

At hearing his name, the Headmaster of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, looked over his half moon glasses and considered the other person, standing alone in the dark, empty room, awaiting his arrival.

"Thank you for coming, Minerva." At her look, he realized that even to him, his words had been cold, heartless and full of exhaustion. She would soon understand the source.

"You said it was important."

He smiled softly. "You haven't waited long?"

Minerva McGonagall flattened her mouth into a thin line as she looked upon him. Eventually, she shrugged and took her usual chair across from his desk after he had seated himself.

With a weariness that brought up the realization of his age, Dumbledore leaned his elbow on the dark wood of his desk, ignoring the fact that by doing so, various parchments and papers were being pushed and crumpled. In the comfortable, but expectant silence that seemed to oppressively fill the office, he considered how to proceed… how to tell her that all hope was not lost… but that the time of celebration was no where near at hand.

The wizard leaned back, his eyes appraising the witch in front of him carefully. "Harry Potter is alive."

The dark haired woman in front of him started visibly. He watched as one of his oldest friends and confidants, a staunch ally for more years than either wanted to consider, stared at him, her mind apparently trying to work out what he had just reveled. Albus kept all expression off of his face, while he watched the Deputy Headmistress pulled her eyes away from his gaze, collecting her thoughts, before looking back at him.

The promise of tears he saw in her eyes moved him.

"Harry? Harry James Potter? He's… alive?"

He nodded at her question.

"But, but… that's wonderful news. The prophecies… everything that we've been trying to accomplish..."

She continued on for a moment, her partial attempts at sentences left dangling, as her mouth relayed the ideas in her mind before each had fully come to fruition. She seemed completely unaware that he had not responded to anything that she'd said thus far, waiting for the immediate euphoria of the shock of Harry Potter's living, to wear off. Moments passed, while the Headmaster observed Minerva standing from her seat, as she began pacing back and forth within the cluttered office, her sure steps carefully avoiding the stacks of books and scrolls, empty crates and various knickknacks that were everywhere.

At long last, she stopped. Her dark robes, nearly indistinguishable in the darkness of the office, still swaying back and forth even though she was standing still. Her lifted his own eyes to meet hers.

"How does he look? Is he all right? Where has he been?"

He tipped his head back and shifted in his seat. "He seems fine, as far as anyone can ascertain at the immediate moment, but as for where he's been for all these year… he won't answer."

"Won't answer?" Professor McGonagall nearly shrieked. "What do you mean that 'he won't answer!'"

Gesturing for her to return to the seat in front of him, the old wizard took a deep breath, negligently noticing that an inkpot had fallen over, staining the elbow of his robes. Grimacing, he began.

"You know of the events that occurred in the early moments last evening in the town of Little Hangleton?" At her confirmation of already owning information that had been tightly contained for the past seven hours, he smiled and continued. "No one is quite sure just yet what occurred, but Aurors are on their way to several well-established homes and families. Arrests will be made."

"Yes," she insisted impatiently. "But as to young Mr. Potter?"

The Headmaster picked up a lemon drop from the dish on his table. "Trelawney was right. Lord Voldemort was resurrected."

"He has returned?"

"Yes."

"Albus…" She closed her eyes, taking a moment for the realization to hit, before she opened them back again. "But what about Mr. Potter?"

"Last night, I was called by Arthur Weasley to attend a meeting with several members of the Ministry, all discussing the ramifications of what they had in their possession and what they should do. Crouch was there. Bones. Fudge. Even Delores Umbridge."

"All for Harry Potter?"

Albus Dumbledore shook his head. "No. They were trying to figure out what to do with Sirius Black."

"Sirius Black!"

He smiled at her unconscious reaction, her hands coming up to her throat. "Yes. It seems that Mr. Black was at Little Hangleton and, in the ensuing fight with between Voldemort's followers and the Aurors, was captured."

He watched as her knuckles turned white from the fists her hands were making. "They caught one of those three? I cannot believe it. I thought they were gone for good…" Her voice trailed off.

"After Black was apprehended, the Aurors were attacked." Dumbledore looked at her sternly, a warning for her to not interrupt. "A young man, alone, held of nearly eight older, and more experienced wizards and witches in a failed attempt to rescue Mr. Black. In fact, from the reports I've gotten, it was only a glancing shot… a lucky curse from a fallen Auror, that brought the young man down."

"Harry Potter?"

Dumbledore silently considered her for a moment before going on. "Young Mr. Potter, though no one really knew it at the time, was quickly apprehended. He, along with Sirius Black, was taken back to one of the Ministry's detention cells for questioning."

"Then how…?"

The wizard began brushing his fingers along his beard, as he weighed what to say. "It was actually Arthur who made the connection. He remembered James Potter back from their school days, though James had been several years younger. Seems that James and the others had played pranks on Arthur back when he and Molly first began seeing one another."

Minerva scrunched her forehead down in confusion. "Arthur?"

"Young Mr. Potter is the spitting image of James… well, all but for the eyes. His eyes are those same captivating green that Lily had." He waved his hand. "But Arthur told me that he considered the age of the boy… and the fact that he looked so much like the Potters… he added two and two together."

"_It's like a ghost, Albus." Dumbledore could still hear Arthur Weasley as they walked through the Ministry's hallways. The man was fidgeting, his hands constantly darting about his wrinkled clothing. "A ghost… well, twice. Once for James Potter to be sitting there, born again… and then, well… to think that Harry Potter could be alive after all this time."_

"What is to happen to him, then, Albus?" Minerva's voice pulled him away from his thoughts.

In the silence, he glanced over to see light of false dawn slowly filling the sky, the room's darkness being driven away. How fitting. Mayhap this could be the sign that Harry's return could mean the end of a long, dark night.

"I have convinced Fudge and the others to put Harry Potter into my care, here at Hogwart's."

"B-but, how… where?" Minerva stuttered in her shock.

"It was fairly simple, especially as none of them would believe that it was actually young Mr. Potter they were holding. It wasn't until after Arthur and I had things well under way that Umbridge realized what she'd let slip from her grasp."

"But why?"

"We must make sure he's ready for what's to come, Minerva. We thought that the prophecies were wrong. For fourteen years, we've but dared to dream that he might be alive… that he could be somewhere, able to appear to stand off against the Dark Lord, fulfilling his destiny."

"But he doesn't know…"

"No." He shook his head sadly. "Not all of it. Harry Potter has lived a life unlike any that I would have wanted for him. He has skills… and training… though why those three sought to do such, I cannot fathom. Something else is at work here… and until we know what it is, we can only hope to make sure that he is here and well protected, ready for what is coming.

"We will train him, care for him… away from the harsh politics and maneuvering at the Ministry… and eventually, I think, we can earn his trust enough that he will open up to us. Harry Potter must understand that we are not the enemy… the awful danger that Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew have poisoned his mind with."

"How?" Dumbledore noted that tears filled her eyes. "What can we say that will make a difference to him? What is it here at Hogwart's that you think will prove to him that we can be trusted… us, the ones that have chased him for fourteen years. We that have imprisoned his godfather?"

The Headmaster leaned forward. "Love."


	2. On The Train

A/N: Here we go. My plan is for each chapter to be from one character's point of view. Usually, it will be Harry's… but there will be times that the thoughts and intentions of those around him will be necessary. 

Please review. Feedback is always inspiring for writers.

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Wish it was.

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CHAPTER ONE – ON THE TRAIN 

_My life is ruined._

Harry Potter sat uncomfortably in the seat, his fingers once again pulling at the suppression collar around his neck, ignoring the presence of the two Aurors standing watch over him, both acting as if there was nothing odd about two dark wizard hunters playing chaperone to a skinny fifteen year old boy.

For possibly the umpteenth time, he glanced out the window, ignoring the fact that in the pane's reflection, he could almost see the tears that still threatened to fall... the outline of the scar across his forehead he'd had since he was one year old even visible. Even with his thick-framed glasses, the scar was easily noticeable. No. Instead, Harry forced himself to instead stare out into what seemed almost like another world… a world of sounds and colors and laughter… a world he'd never been privy to, a world that he could never be a part of.

He grunted… almost a laugh, as he contemplated the masterpiece of chaos and confusion that made up King's Cross station. Everywhere he looked, there were wizards and witches in their colorful robes of all ages, from wailing children to proud parents and grandparents fighting with luggage, each looking to find a way to pass along whatever words of love and encouragement or advice and stern warning could be offered at the last moment, as students pushed and pressed into one another to get onto the train before it left. And that wasn't even taking into consideration all of the Muggles… those unfortunate enough to have been born without the ability to cast and understand magic. Strewn throughout the cacophony of sights and sounds at the nine and three-quarters station, wide-eyed adults stared in near disbelief at the insanity of the event… the leaving of the Hogwart's Express for the beginning for the new semester of class.

_The same place I'm now being forced to go_. Harry thought bitterly.

Sighing audibly, Harry turned from the glass, ignoring the slight fading of his breath that had fogged the clear pane. His emerald eyes finally returned to the two silent centurions who stood impassively, neither giving him any idea of what they might think in regards to the situation. He sat silently, waiting, until finally the taller of the two Aurors seemed to fidget slightly.

"I still say this is a mistake, Kingsley." He finally said as the dark haired wizard shifted his gaze to met his eyes.

For a moment, the wizard looked offended. It was a fleeting look that Harry mused most would have missed… but he'd been trained, his entire life, in fact, to study the threats other might pose. Finally, Kingsley Shacklebolt forced a smile onto his normally stoic features and shook his head. "Sorry. Dumbledore's instructions were very explicit."

The second wizard nodded, though his smile was less forced than the other. "You are going to Hogwart's. You are to be on this train, and yes…" his eyes seemed to dance as he looked at Harry, "we will remain on the train, as well. When you get there, you will be met and…"

"He'll be expecting it." The boy frowned as his green eyes pleaded. "Let me go. Tell them all I escaped… again." His voice held laughter at that last word. "I've got more important things to do than sit in a classroom."

The two Aurors exchanged a look before both shaking their heads negatively. "You need to be under protection…"

"Protection? You're going to protect me?" Harry laughed, though he found nothing of the conversation… _Merlin! The whole Day_, in the least bit comical.

"No. Dumbledore will." Kingsley leaned down so that he was at eye level. "It's what your parents would have wanted."

"My parents?" Harry could feel his temper flare. "My parents wanted me with Sirius."

Kingsley seemed to visibly start at the mention of his godfather. Harry could see the anger slowly building in the man and couldn't help but feel a slight bit of satisfaction in knowing that he'd finally gotten under the man's skin.

"Listen, Harry," The other Auror, Paul Whittington if Harry remembered his name correctly, took a step forward… apparently trying to rescue the situation from becoming a full-fledged confrontation. "Headmaster Dumbledore went way out on a limb to prevent you from being sent to Azkaban along with Black. You should be grateful for that chance…"

"Especially since there will be so many people out there that will want you in there with him after what the two of you pulled."

Harry glanced between the two older wizards. He was going to get nowhere with either one of them. "Fine." He said disgustedly. "Whatever."

Without another word, Harry turned to look back out the window. The old clock that he could see off to the edge of the platform informed him that there were but a few minutes left before the train was scheduled to leave, and from the slowly thinning crowds outside the train cars, most everyone was either already aboard or rushing off from dropping their loved ones off.

"You'd both better go." He finally said into the silence, refusing to even turn to either one of them. "That is, if you're still wanting me to seem normal in here."

Harry could sense the Aurors glance at one another before Whittington quickly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Harry held his breath as he realized that Shacklebolt was still in the room, waiting, watching.

Promising himself that he'd keep it together, the teen checked the reflection in the window, knowing that the wizard could see his eyes in the reflection glaring back at him.

"Harry," he began. "I can't even begin to understand what you've been going through… are going through. Raised by the men that murdered your parents… forced to endure a life under dark wizards…."

At the man's words, Harry closed his eyes, trying to contain the exasperation he felt every time someone else tried to console him for the horrible life he'd had… the dangers he'd been forced to endure…

_All of the lies. Why won't anyone believe me when I tell them that they're making a huge mistake? _

"Just go." Harry was proud that his voice cracked only a small bit. "Go hide and watch. Keep me _safe_."

He felt satisfaction at Kingsley's face. The man had flinched like Harry had struck him… Harry had made no attempt to hide the venom and sarcasm out of his voice on the word safe.

The wizard moved to the door and silently slipped out. At last, Harry was able to take a deep breath.

_Alone at last. _

Harry pulled away from the window, tired of watching everyone else… _always watching, never a part of anything_… Harry sighed as he leaned back, resting his head against the seat.

_Maybe I can go to sleep and dream this nightmare away. _

"Guys! This room's available!"

Harry jerked himself awake as the door to the cabin he was sitting in suddenly opened. His hand had instantly moved to where his wand was… instinct and training moving him before rational thought had even clearly formed in his head, but he'd come up empty. For a moment, he was confused at the lack of a wand anywhere on his person… not readily available, until memories and reality set back in.

_Merlin!_ He cursed silently. _They still have my wand._ In fact, Harry grimaced, he remembered being told at the Ministry that his confiscated wand would not be returned to him until after he'd met with Dumbledore.

Using all of his willpower to hold in a sigh, he glanced up at the boy still standing in the doorway that had woken him. He was a fairly good-looking bloke, if guys were what you were interested in. He looked to be about the same age as himself, though his face and build showed signs of having been slightly overweight in his earlier years… maybe having only just lost it. His brown hair was mussy, though looked more like it just needed combing… not being stuck in a perpetual mop as Harry's always seemed to be.

There must have been something in his gaze, as Harry watched the other boy. A blush ran up his cheeks and he looked apologetically at Harry. "Sorry, mate. We're all just runnin' behind schedule. Mind if we join you?"

Harry quirked his eyebrow as he considered the boy's words. "We?"

"Yeah…" He smiled. "We." At that moment, a slew of students… all of them near or around Harry's age, took that moment to enter into the cabin.

He watched, almost envious, as four other students (three girls and one boy… though it would actually be two boys counting the first one at the door) came in, all laughing and carrying on conversations that in most cases meant absolutely nothing to him.

In front was a short girl… plain, in a country girl sort of way, at first, though Harry had to revise his statement as she smiled in response to something said quietly into her ear. She had red hair that was tied back in a tail that fell to her shoulders. Freckles splashed across her nose and cheeks, lending again to the girl-next-door feel that she presented. Immediately behind her was another girl, though this one was anything but plain. Blonde hair twisted in artificial curls that fell to her chin. Her skin was smooth, almost like milk, though only the area around her neck and face were visible due to the heavy jacket she wore.

Harry's gaze moved along to the next person entering the cabin, to find a rather stout, heavyset boy (in muscles, not fat…) smiling at the two girls. _I wonder which one he fancies?_ Harry considered, though he immediately pushed the thought away. Thick brown hair rested atop his head.

Finally, another girl entered. Of the three girls, she seemed to catch Harry's eye the most. Heavy curls of brown hair fell in a haphazard to near the small of her back. She was between the heights of the other two girls, slightly taller than the redhead, but a full hand shorter than the blonde. He immediately had a sense that she was the brains of the group, as there was something in her eyes that seemed to almost conjure up visions of genius.

The four seemed quite preoccupied with their conversations, laughing and putting their bags in the storage racks above and below the seats, until finally the bushy haired brunette turned and seemed to finally realize that there was someone else in the room.

"Oh!" Her eyes were as wide as tea saucers when her eyes finally touched upon Harry.

Not wanting to waste the moment, Harry drew his brow down in a mock scowl and frowned. "Boo."

At his half-hearted attempt at a joke, the other three newcomers into the room all turned and found what had startled their friend. As each came to look upon Harry, questions dancing in their eyes, Harry shifted his position and smiled.

"Sorry." The boy who'd found the compartment suddenly stepped up next to the brown haired girl. "Sorry bout that, guys. "I didn't see 'em, either…"

"Right scary, that is." The other boy suddenly exclaimed. As Harry turned to look at him, the surprised girl began to flush… quite prettily, actually, and then cocked her head to the side… questions clearly read in her countenance. "I haven't seen you before."

Harry smiled. "That's because you've never seen me before."

"Are you new?" The small redhead asked.

He frowned at the question. "As much as I might wish otherwise, I'm supposed to be here... so… I guess you could say that I am new"

The brown-haired girl twisted her lips to the side as her eyes narrowed. A smile came unbidden to his face as he realized that she was not staring at him, per se, but was more likely considering what to do with him. As she was lost in thought, it gave him a chance to look at her more closely.

Her hair was curly… beyond anything a beautician or spell charm mist could do, brown in color, and fell well past her shoulders. She was pretty in the face. Beautiful, perhaps… though more in that librarian bookworm sort of way than the hot girl walking down the street. Her robes indicated Gryffindor, one of the Houses located at the train's destination… and a pin that decorated below her left shoulder indicated that she was a prefect… whatever that meant.

"So… you're new?" She finally asked.

Harry considered her for a moment, wondering as to why she had repeated the question. "Yeah. Just got on the train." He replied sarcastically.

"Well… since you're a transfer student, why don't you sit back down and let us all get to know one another." He noted that she had a hurt look in her eyes. Sighing, he nodded and gestured gallantly for her to sit, trying to make up for his tactless behavior.

_Transfer student?_ He thought.

"Great." She grinned suddenly. "My name is Granger. Hermione Granger. I'm a prefect for the Gryffindor House."

"I gathered." He said with a smile. At her sudden sharp look, he felt his fake smile turn into an actual grin. "About the prefect and house part."

With his eyes and a nod of his head, he directed… Hermione… to her clothing and badge. "Oh." She said suddenly as a blush rose into her cheeks. "Sorry."

Everyone else seemed to take their cue from her as everyone began sitting back down. Harry tried not to smile as all three girls took positions around him… the redhead actually being ballsy enough to indicate that he should scoot over and let her between him and the window. Her audacity was enough that he complied. The pretty blonde sat on his other side, while Hermione sat directly across from him.

All that was left was for the two boys to shrug their shoulders and sit on either side of the bushy haired girl.

Once everyone was comfortably situated, the Gryffindor prefect smiled and leaned forward towards him. Harry automatically leaned back. "First, let me introduce you to everyone."

At his nod, she smiled and gestured to the young redheaded girl sitting next to him. "That is Ginny Weasley."

At being introduced, the girl smiled. Harry found himself wanting to stare into her dark brown eyes a bit longer than was comfortable, so instead just winked at her He held back laughter as she suddenly blushed bright pink. Finally, she seemed to mutter a quick "Hi." Before letting her hair fall into her face, effectively hiding her behind a curtain of red.

"On your other side," Hermione continued, pulling Harry's attention back to her. "Is Luna Lovegood."

"I like your scar." _What!_ Harry forced a smile as he inclined his head in a nod, unable to come up with a safe reply.

Harry turned and quirked an eyebrow at Hermione, who took that moment to flush. "Over here is Neville Longbottom." Hermione gestured to the boy that had first intruded upon Harry's solitude. Harry felt his eyebrows go up.

"The child of Alice and Frank Longbottom?" _Uncle Moony told me about the Longbottoms._ He interrupted Hermione's introductions. As he spoke, Neville seemed to shrink in on himself and flushed worse than the girls had.

_Why was he embarrassed?_ Harry turned away, not wanting to cause further discomfort to the boy. "Sorry. Go on."

"And finally," Hermione gestured with a wave of her hand, her eyes suddenly bright. "This is Cedric Diggory, the current champion of the Tri-Wizard World Cup…"

"Hi." Cedric offered his hand. Harry took it and the two shook hands. _At least he gave the scar nothing more than a passing glance._

"Cedric," Hermione continued, "is one half of the Hogwart's very own 'wonder couple.' He's captain of the Hufflepuff quidditch team…"

"Hufflepuff?" Harry spoke up. "You're not all Gryffindor?"

Neville sitting to Hermione's left laughed. "N-no way, mate. L-Luna and Cho are Ravenclaws, while Cedric here is Hufflepuff."

"Oh."

"Which has won the House Cup for the last three years running." Ginny interjected.

Hermione gave her a look. _Apparently, she doesn't like to be interrupted._ "He's been prefect for Hogwart's for the past two years, and is lucky enough to be dating the very lovely and aforementioned Cho Chang… and also the other half of said couple of wonder."

"And where is she?" Harry asked, more out of politeness than actual concern.

Cedric smiled as he glanced over at Hermione. "She got held up at St. Mungo's and is having to meet us in Hogsmeade."

"St. Mungo's? The hospital?" Harry felt the bottom of his stomach drop.

Cedric nodded. "Yeah. She is a Healer's Apprentice. After the whole fiasco with the Sirius Black capture over in a cemetery over in Little Hangleton," Harry held himself very still. "Everybody got called in to help."

Ginny to his right leaned forward, catching Harry's eye. "Dad says that it was one of the worst scenes he'd ever seen."

"Dad?"

Hermione laughed. "Her father is Arthur Weasley. He works for the Ministry."

Harry hid his surprise as he looked back at the redhead. "Mum was right mental when she found Dad telling us about it, but it was too late and we knew. That Black and his crew tore into the Aurors. So many good witches and wizards hurt."

"It was w-worth it, though." Neville suddenly spoke up. "Many of You-Know-Who's followers were s-stopped."

"Yeah. One down. Two to go." Ginny added.

"Rumor has it though that they were able to finally resurrect Him…" Cedric said barely above a whisper. There was no need to wonder who "Him" was.

"But at least the families of the wizards and Muggles that Sirius Black… as well as all of those other bad wizards, murdered can finally be at peace." Luna said dreamily. "Their spirits can finally rest."

"Rest?"

"Ignore her." Hermione stated bluntly with a smile. "Luna's on another floor, if you get my meaning."

Harry nodded silently.

"So… where are you from…" Harry turned to find Ginny scrunching up her nose at him, her earlier shyness having evaporated. Harry found that he actually kind of liked the way she looked. _How could he have thought she was plain?_

"You never gave us your name."

"Right." He replied, his eyes darting about the small space at the faces all turned towards him. "Sorry."

Running the fingers of his left hand through the loose wisps of his black hair that had fallen into his face, he smiled, hoping that the green of his eyes would fool them into not seeing the pain that he was in.

"Right." He sighed. _Might as well have them all hate me now._ "I'm…

Fate chose to intervene at that moment as the door leading into the cabin was suddenly slung open. Harry, along with the rest of the room, whipped around to find a blonde-haired boy standing the doorway, a permanent sneer across his face.

"Look, guys." The newcomer called over his shoulder to two of the largest teenagers Harry had ever seen. "Looks like we found the losers' car."

"Malfoy." Ginny's voice carried from behind Harry. "Get lost."


	3. A Bit of Wrong History

DISCLAIMER: J.K Rowling's work. I'm just borrowing.

A/N: I've found a few mistakes already in the chapters already posted. I don't have a beta, so forgive me. If anyone is interested, drop me a line. I've got the first twelve or so chapters already written, with another eight mapped out. Hopefully by posting a few each day, things will continue running smoothly.

Don't forget to review. Thanks

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER TWO – A BIT OF WRONG HISTORY

_Malfoy?_

Harry felt himself suddenly standing, his eyes never leaving the face of the intruder. _A Malfoy? Here? Could this be the son of Lucius Malfoy?_

"Who're you?" The young Malfoy demanded.

Harry watched as the rest of the cabin's occupants all suddenly stood, as well, circling around Harry. _Are they trying to protect me? _ Harry wondered. He watched as Cedric and Neville moved to stand in front of him, while each of the girls pulled at his shoulders, drawing him back behind them, though by their posture, Harry could sense that they were afraid.

"He's a transfer student, Draco." Hermione hissed.

"A transfer?" Draco's eyebrows vanished into his hairline. His gaze looked past Cedric and over Luna as he looked directly at Harry. "Then why don't you come with us… get away from the stink of these mudbloods and blood traitors. Hang with some wizards worthy of the name."

It wasn't actually a question, as Harry easily surmised that Draco was telling him what to do. Feeling his anger beginning to rise, Harry tilted his head to the side and smiled evilly. "I would, but being seen with the son of a known Death Eater… even one as incompetent as your father was, seems so much worse than anything else you might think."

"Wot!" Draco's pale features suddenly blossomed red as his eyes narrowed. "How dare you! Nobody talks about my father like that. Guys."

Harry ignored the questioning looks from the others in the room as Harry shrugged out of the girls' hold on his shoulders and stepped forward. As he took a step, the words of his godfather flittered through his mind.

"**Take every advantage. Everyone is afraid of pain… and sometimes, even the possibility of pain is enough to deter the most hardened of hearts."**

Harry let the smile drop as the magic he kept carefully contained inside of himself rise to the surface. He couldn't hurt these… children, no matter how much they might deserve it… not yet. Not while the suppression collar was still around his neck, but he could put the fear of Merlin into them. Using but the smallest fraction of power still available to him, he allowed the magic to trickle out of his eyes, causing the green in his eyes to suddenly glow with otherworldly power.

_Even Sirius had taken a step back when Harry used such techniques in the past._ "You can either leave under your own power… or else I can…" He let the rest of his intention hang. These bullies would make up worse ideas in their head than probably anything he could come up with as a threat.

He noted with satisfaction that the two boys that had moved in front of Draco Malfoy suddenly took two steps back, effectively blocking the door and preventing anyone else from passing along the hallway or entering into the room.

"Go."

He had considered putting some magic behind the word, but the three of them weren't even the effort. Just the quiet whisper of his voice, indicating that they should leave had worked, as first the two enforcers, and then Draco himself, turned and moved down the hallway.

As the trio moved further out of reach, Draco turned, his eyes near blazing with hatred. "You'll pay for that."

Harry smiled as he moved back into the cabin, firmly closing the door behind him. Once sure that the door was shut, he raised his eyes to find five sets of eyes riveted to him. Unsure of how to react, he chose to ignore them and moved back over to his seat, sitting quietly and looking out the window… though he barely registered what scenery they passed by.

Finally, Ginny moved back to her spot, interrupting his view of the landscape. "That was great. How'd you do that? Not even my brothers are able to get that lousy git to leave them alone."

"That was even better than how Viktor Krum ran Draco off last year."

"Viktor? Harry asked.

Hermione blushed. "Yeah. Viktor and I met at the Tournament last year…"

"Don't be modest, Hermione." Cedric grinned, as Hermione's face grew even redder. "They were a pretty hot item for a while… what happened, by the way?"

The bushy-haired girl shrugged. "We still write, but he's at Durmstrang and I'm here."

Silence filled the cabin, as no one seemed to know how to breach the sudden tension that filled the room. Neville finally turned and glanced back at Harry.

"What was that about D-Draco's father being a D-Death Eater?" He asked, referring to Harry's earlier statement to the blonde-haired Slytherin.

"Brother?" Harry asked, ignoring Neville's question, hoping to steer the conversation in a direction he was more comfortable with.

Ginny nodded. "Ronald. Well, Ron." She snorted in obvious disdain. "He's a fifth year… too good for the likes of hanging with his fourth year sister."

"You're a fourth year then?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded.

Harry turned to look at the others. "What about you guys?"

Hermione blinked, almost as if shaking herself out of her own private thoughts. "I'm a fifth, like her brother. In fact, we have many of the same classes."

"Is… Ron?" At the implied inquiry, Ginny nodded. "Is Ron Gryffindor, too?"

Hermione nodded. "Same house, same year… but that's about it."

Harry considered her words. "And the rest of you?"

Cedric smiled. "I'm a seventh year. Cho is sixth. Luna is a fourth along with Ginny" He nodded over to Neville. "Neville is a fifth."

Harry leaned back and considered. "Three Gryffindors, a Hufflepuff and two Ravenclaws. Two fourth years, two fifth years, a sixth year and a seventh year. Interesting mix."

"You think?" Hermione asked.

"Absolutely." Harry grinned. "Why no younger years or Slytherin?"

Ginny leaned over to bring herself more into Harry's view. "There's not a lot of younger ones that we have met that really want to be in our little group…."

"Group?"

Hermione glared at Ginny, but hid the look when Harry glanced over at her. "Just our study group."

Harry raised his left eyebrow. "Oh. And as for Slytherin?" He decided to let her believe that he had missed the silent communication.

"Who'd want one of them, mate?"

He turned and looked at Neville. "Can't say, really. Just was calculating the odds on what you can accomplish with your mix."

"Our odds?" Hermione asked. "That's a weird way of saying something."

Ginny frowned. "That sounds like something Tonks might say."

"Tonks?"

The redhead smiled. "Yeah. Tonks. Short for Nyphodroma Tonks, though if you value your life, never call her anything but Tonks. . She's an Auror. She and I got to know each other a few years back when the Ministry put some protection around certain households."

Harry silently cursed himself for the verbal slip.

Cedric moved into the conversation. "Isn't that back when the rumors first started that there had been sightings of Remus Lupin back in England."

The young redhead nodded.

"Lupin?" Harry asked quietly.

Hermione nodded. "One of the three traitors." When Harry didn't immediately say anything, Hermione seemed to take that as permission to keep going. "Back when You-Know-Who first gained power… Professor Dumbledore put some families into hiding… to protect them."

Harry knew the truth of the story she was about to tell, but remained mum, wanting to know what everyone else knew. "Anyway… one of the more important families to be protected was the Potters. James, Lily and their baby, Harry."

"Yeah?" Harry pushed.

"Well… James had three friends, close friends: Peter Pettigrew, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. They... well, they betrayed their friend to You-Know-Who."

Harry held back the retort he always felt whenever anyone put Wormtail in the same group as Padfoot and Moony. He sighed quietly, hoping to stay calm.

As Hermione trailed off, Ginny picked up the story. "The three vanished after James and Lily were killed."

"And the baby? Harry?" Harry asked.

Cedric shrugged. "No one really knows."

Neville, who through the entire story had kept to himself spoke. "Many believe that he was killed… though there are a lot of different stories. Different theories."

"That he is alive, somewhere, in hiding." Ginny said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Or that he now is being trained as a dark wizard, to rise as the heir to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

Cedric smiled softly. "Or died that fateful night… along with You-Know-Who." He grimaced. "Though we now know he's not dead."

"Both of them? Dead?" Harry asked incredulously. _That people had been wrong on both parts._

"It's was a theory…" Cedric shrugged his shoulders again. "But most think that he's still out there… somewhere. Alive."

"Why?"

"Because…" Ginny began, but was immediately interrupted.

"Because no one really knows what happened that night," Luna suddenly spoke, her voice soft, "but for those that were there. Maybe we're all wrong… that the truth has yet to be revealed."

Luna stared at him then, her pale blue eyes seeming to look straight through him, searching his soul. Harry nodded, uncertain as to anything he might say… could say, while the blonde Ravenclaw looked at him. Finally she smiled, her fingers suddenly turning inward as she stretched and yawned.

"Sirus Black will soon be singing." Ginny stated.

"What?"

She looked at Harry. "We have someone that was there that night, now. We can find out what they did… why they did it…"

"We know why they did it." Cedric suddenly snapped. "They worked for You-Know-Who. They were Death Eaters!"

Luna interrupted before anything more could be said. "I wish I could know why the cyclopic wind sprites never tell me what really happened when I ask them…"

_Cyclopic wind sprites?_ Shaking his head at the abrupt change in the girl's thought process, Harry looked over at Hermione.

"Right. Well… as I… we were saying…" The brunette quickly amended at the sharp looks from Ginny and Cedric, "The Ministry, under the guidance of Professor Dumbledore, immediately began a witch hunt for the three traitors… but no one had a single idea of where they might be until last year, when Lupin was spotted in London."

"Why was he in London?" Harry asked, fully well knowing the true reason that his honorary uncle had been back on the Isle. _One of the first sightings of Wormtail that they'd gotten in nearly ten years._

"No one is quite sure, as he escaped." Cedric grimaced.

"And that had b-been the only chance to learn the t-truth about the boy…" Neville stated.

"The boy?" Harry asked, this time fully interested.

"Sure." Neville looked Harry in the eye. "The Boy Who Vanished."

Harry sat back, flabbergasted. _The Boy Who Vanished_? _Why hadn't Padfoot or Moony ever shared that tidbit?_

"But Ginny's right. We'll probably get answers soon." Hermione offered. Harry looked at her to find that she was carefully studying him. "With Sirius Black in custody, the truth will come out sooner or later."

"You think?" Cedric answered sarcastically. Harry found himself suddenly put out by the older boy, at his attitude towards Ginny and Hermione. Glancing about the cabin, however, they all seemed fine with it. _Maybe this is just how he is?_

His attention pulled from Cedric Diggory as Ginny began digging in her carry on bag. She grinned apologetically at Harry when she caught him watching her. "Me and Fred…" As she looked back at Harry alternating between talking and searching through the canvas bag, she blushed "Another brother. Well, we heard Mum going on bout some big hush-hush thing happening."

"Hush-hush?" Cedric laughed his outburst from early suddenly over.

Harry smiled as he watched Ginny stick her tongue out at the other boy. "Yeah. Hush-hush. Now hush." She grinned. "Aha." At her exclamation, Harry peered into her hand to see that she brought out a hairbrush. _All of that searching through the bag… so important… for a hairbrush? _ "Anyway… after the attack last week and capture of that traitor."

"Sirius?" Neville seemed to ask for clarification.

Ginny nodded as she pulled her hair out of the ponytail it was in and began brushing her hair. Strangely, Harry had the sudden urge to run his fingers through the red waves, wondering if it was as soft as it looked. Shaking himself, he went back to listening to what she had to say.

"Seems Dad and a lot of the others high up in the Ministry are all up in arms bout something that they found. Both Fred and George…yet another brother," she smiled at Harry, "tried to get it out of them, but got nothing."

"What do you think they found?" Hermione asked.

Ginny shrugged as she continued to run the brush through her hair. "No idea. But Dad did let it slip that Dumbledore had been there." Harry idly wondered if she was always like this.

"Probably a lead on Pettigrew or Lupin. Maybe both."

"What do you think?"

Harry realized that the voice was directed at him. He glanced over to see Neville looking at him expectantly. As he contemplated on how to reply, idly wondering how the two Aurors on the train would feel if he announced himself before giving Dumbledore a chance to talk to him, movement to his side caught his attention. From the corner of his eye, he watched as Hermione and Ginny exchanged significant looks at one another.

_Are they arguing?_ He thought.

Turning back to Longbottom, Harry caught Cedric leaning back, smiling, as his head moved back and forth between Ginny and Hermione. "Well," he started slowly, sounding each word out carefully. "I can't really say." _Under penalty of Ministry prosecution, in fact._ "I think I agree with Luna."

At his words, Luna smiled brightly as both Hermione and Ginny straightened up in surprise. "Really?" Luna asked.

Harry nodded at their looks. "I think that until the truth is revealed, everything else is nothing but a waste of time."

Luna nodded happily as she leaned over and hugged him. Harry froze, unused to a girl, especially an attractive one, suddenly touching him. Both Ginny and Hermione blushed furiously as Harry looked at the rest of the room for what to do.

Finally, Luna pulled back, a wondrous smile across her face. "Thank you."

Harry nodded briefly. "Not a problem."

"You never did get a chance to tell us your name." Hermione asked quickly, breaking Harry away from watching the pretty blonde-haired girl.

"Oh. Right." Harry ran his hand through his hair nervously. "Just call me Brightwing."

"Brightwing?" Cedric asked, a questioning look in his eyes.

Harry grinned and nodded. "My… family, well, they rarely call anyone by their actual name. Everybody has some name that is reserved for friends and loved ones. We all have nicknames like that."

"The like calling me Brightwing."

Ginny grinned mischievously as she answered first. "Friends and loved ones, then, huh?" She looked up at Harry. "Okay, Brightwing." She held her small hand out. "A pleasure to meet you."

Hermione was quick to add her vote. "Absolutely."

Harry watched as Cedric and Neville both grinned in obvious amusement at his predicament, when Luna looked over and tapped Harry on the shoulder.

"Which year are you going to be in?"

Harry leaned back and considered for a moment. "I'm not really sure. I'm fifteen… so… where would that place me?"

Hermione smiled beautifully, her eyes flicking over to Ginny briefly. "I think you'll be fifth, like me and Neville."

Ginny harrumphed. Harry turned and considered the petite Gryffindor. "I know that I have to meet with Dumbledore as soon as I get to Hogwart's, so there's no telling." He grinned self-depreciatingly. "I've never been actually officially schooled in magic, so he might think I'm horribly underdeveloped. Maybe I'll be a first year."

"A first year?" Cedric guffawed. "They way you handled Malfoy? Not a chance."

Quickly picking up that thread, Harry turned his attention back to Hermione and then Ginny. "What's the deal with Draco Malfoy, anyway?"

Ginny scowled and then glanced up at the curly haired brunette. Hermione seemed to take the cue and took a deep breath. "He's pretty much ran the school any way that he's wanted since he got here five years ago."

Neville nodded. "First year, he tormented the rest of the class… us included," He gestured to Hermione and himself, "with no one to really stop him… at least, not till Cedric got involved."

Cedric Diggory nodded. "He and his crew… you met Crabbe and Goyle. They started picking on Cho and some of her friends, especially around Quidditch time."

"Quidditch is that big?" Harry had trouble keeping the shock off of his face.

The seventh year Hugglepuff smirked. "Things got worse when Professor Lockley set up a dueling club, which Draco won hands down. Nobody could really stand up to him."

"Things got worse, though, when he set his sights on Ginny." Neville offered.

Harry turned to find the young girl had gone pale. "He started up with the notion that since he and I are both purebloods, that we belonged together." Her voice turned dark. "It didn't matter that he was already promised to Pansey Parkinson, another Slytherin. Nope." She took a deep breath. "Things got really out of hand and could have turned… bad, but Fred and George stepped in.

"Yeah…" Luna offered softly.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

Cedric leaned back, throwing an apologetic look at Ginny. "Draco's father, Lucius Malfoy learned that the twins had threatened him. He pulled some strings and had them suspended. They barely passed that year."

Harry could feel his anger rising as the story kept unfolding more and more. "Didn't the teachers have any thing to say about this?"

Hermione shrugged. "There was no proof. One wizard's word against another."

"Draco challenged them to a duel… two on two, with Draco naming one of his miniature Death Eaters as his partner. Nott, I think" Ginny answered. "Fred and George were going to go through with it, but Mum got word and refused… probably Ron squealing on them. Dad got involved and everything blew up from there."

"So…" Harry was stunned.

Neville smiled sadly. "So the six of us… us and Cho, we banded together, making sure that no one, especially Ginny, was never alone where Draco could get to her."

"The rest of the school didn't rise up… say something?"

Cedric shook his head from side to side. "Everyone is afraid of Malfoy. The only reason Slytherin hasn't won the House colors since he started was due to all of their rule breaking."

Harry raised his eyebrows. Cedric had the good sense to look embarrassed. "I'm safe, as I can hold my own… but it's tough when there are so many of them and just a few of us."

Harry scrunched his eyebrows together as he considered everything. Finally, he looked up and met Hermione's gaze. "What about you?"

Hermione smiled, though it didn't come close to her eyes. "I'm not in danger like Ginny is. He doesn't want me like that. Though I try not to go alone anywhere on my own. I'm a mudblood, in his eyes at least. He thinks I'm less than dirt."

"Mudblood?" Harry exclaimed in shock.

The curly haired curl nodded. "My parents are Muggles. Both of them. Dentists, actually."

Harry leaned back, sorry that he'd brought the room down from the laughter they'd shared only moments ago. Taking a moment to glance about the small train cabin, to see what these five… six, if you counted Cho Chang, offered.

_This is the safe environment that the Ministry wants to send me to?_ Harry thought in frustration. _Fine. They want Harry Potter at Hogwart's. Harry Potter they were going to get!_


	4. Dumbledore & a Sorting

DISCLAIMER: This world belongs to Rowling. Oh, for a time machine… : sigh :

A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews so far. A major mistake was found in the last chapter. Yes, Lockley was supposed to be Lockhart. I'll correct that later.

Still considering Beta's. Thanks for all that have shown interest.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER THREE –DUMBLEDORE & A SORTING

**_Remember to control your emotions._** Moony's voice filled Harry's mind. **_Never let them see how it gets to you._**

He was currently standing inside the office of Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, doing his best to reveal nothing in front of what many considered to be the most powerful wizard in the world today. Leaning back in the chair the Professor had provided, Harry looked back on how he'd gotten here.

_Things had progressed better and better on the ride to the school, as Harry and the others had finally drifted away from such serious topics and began talking about nonsensical things. As they continued to share stories, though they told more to him than Harry himself revealed, the cloud of confusion had finally lifted for a moment and he had realized that Ginny and Hermione were vying for his attention._

_Once the train had stopped, Harry had even began to play along with the good-natured ribbing that Neville and Cedric kept throwing his way as the girls kept finding reasons to pull him one way or the other in different conversations about the school and the Hogsmeade village._

_As well with all good things in his life, however, it soon came to an all abrupt in as Shacklebolt and Whittington had quietly materialized and offered to escort Harry up to meet with the Headmaster. For a moment, the fifteen year old had thought that he might have a chance to slip away from his possible new friends without any questions, but Ginny had caught the movement as she pulled away from a group of other girls, and run over… all chance to escape evaporating._

"_Kingsley!" She shouted. "What are you doing here?" As she approached, she gave a quizzical look over at Harry before throwing her best little girl grin at the older Auror._

"_Miss Weasley?" Kingsley looked around, discomfort apparent on his features. "I'm escorting Mr… well… this young man to meet the Headmaster."_

_Ginny turned, her eyebrows raised as she considered Harry. "Brightwing?"_

_Harry hated the unasked question in her voice. Masking his worry, he smiled widely at her. "I'll try and explain everything later… okay?"_

_Ginny nodded, her attention being pulled away by other students that were calling her name, back to the carriages that led to the school. "I'm gonna hold you to that."_

_Harry nodded. _

Apparently satisfied for now, the redhead turned and ran back to the milling students. Watching her vanish into the throngs several yards away, Harry turned and looked at his two escorts. Paul Whittington had looked thoughtful, but it was the calculating look on Kingsley Shacklebolt's face. Without a word… they turned and led him silently away from the others and into, possibly literally, the lion's den.

From there, Harry had been quickly ushered through the heavy doors at the front of the castle, led down a heavy corridor and eventually to a stone gargoyle. Kingsley had quickly uttered something under his breath… Harry thought it might have been Bernie Bott's, before the statue had moved to the side and revealed a spiral staircase leading up to a huge office. Harry had been instructed to sit and the two Aurors dismissed, while the wizened old man had shifted through several parchments and papers scattered across his desk, the whole time, humming softly to himself.

Idly, he wondered how Hermione, Ginny and the others were all getting along.

"So, Mr. Potter," The Headmaster pulled Harry from his private musings and drew his attention to the present. Harry lifted his eyes to look directly into Dumbledore's… as the Headmaster pushed the half moon glasses further up his nose. "Or do I call you Brightwing?"

Harry started at the name. _Merlin, but he's every bit as crafty as Padfoot had warned me._ Harry attempted to wipe the chagrinned look off of his face as he considered how best to react. Taking a deep breath, he ran his fingers through his hair.

"You don't get to call me _Brightwing_."

If the man was offended, he let nothing show. Harry watched as the wizard picked up a quill and quickly scratched some notes on the parchment to his left. Without looking up, the Headmaster shot out another question.

"And will you agree by the terms I have set down for you to stay here?"

"Terms?" Harry shouted out before he could stop himself. _Bloody hell, but he's asked only two questions so far and already gotten more reaction out of me than I wanted._ Taking a breath, Harry tried to settle down, focusing on his Uncle Lupin's words again. "What terms?"

Dumbledore looked up, his deep blue eyes sparkling. "I believe that the Ministry made it known that you would be required to abide by the rules of Hogwarts…" As Harry began to protest, the Professor kept going, "in exchange, Sirius Black will be properly cared for in a detention center of their choosing, rather than immediately taken to Azkaban."

Harry slowly counted to ten... and then counted to twenty.

Taking a moment, Harry considered his words carefully. "You know that he's innocent of the charges… you're using blackmail to keep me here."

At his words, the Headmaster finally placed all of the parchments down and then gave Harry his undivided attention. His long fingers steepled in front of him, the man's eyes bored deep into his soul. "And if I say 'yes' to that? That I am resorting to… blackmail… will that make you feel better?"

At the old man's reply, Harry tilted his head to the left. "You'll keep Pad… keep Sirius safe? Out of Azkaban?" At Dumbledore's nod, Harry sagged in defeat. "And I have to do what, exactly?"

"I simply wish for you to learn, Mr. Potter. I want you to accept what we have to offer and to accept what we, the teachers and instructors here at Hogwarts, have to teach you."

"What assurances do I get?"

Dumbledore smiled faintly. "I give you my word."

Harry nodded in defeat. _You better pray I don't ever get the upper hand, old man._ Harry thought as he agreed.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

After effectively selling his soul to the devil, Dumbledore had removed the suppression collar from his neck and had then opened a sealed envelope and offered Harry his wand. Taking it gently, Harry carefully studied the nine-inch fir and unicorn hair wand Moony had given him to make sure it hadn't been tampered with. Immediately, Harry had allowed a quick rush of magic to fill his every pore, to reassert his center.

At Dumbledore's raised eyebrows, Harry had released the magic quickly… though he couldn't keep the smile off of his face. He might be trapped in a prison not of his choosing, but he had his magic back.

They had then moved quickly back down the stairs and through the empty corridors. As they approached two large doors, The Headmaster had turned and glared meaningfully at Harry, making sure that he had his attention. "How you interact with the other students… what you tell them is completely up to you. I would ask that you keep what you know about Mr. Pettigrew and Mr. Lupin… and Mr. Black even to yourself."

Harry opened his mouth to retort, but Dumbledore held up a finger, forestalling anything he might have been about to say. "You may choose to disregard what I'm advising, the choice is yours. But if you burn all of your bridges at the beginning, this will turn out to be more of a sentence rather than a school to you."

Harry considered what the Headmaster was saying, when the wizard continued. "I will instruct the other professors here to refer to you as Brightwing for the time being…" At Harry's look, he quickly continued, "But that will last only for a short time. Secrets such as yours have a way of coming out, so you might best consider your own way of revealing what cannot remain hidden."

Closing his mouth, Harry had refused to look at the Headmaster and simply nodded.

"Good." Dumbledore turned to the door, negligently waving his hand, the wandless magic opening the door. "And with that settled, why don't you wait right here until I call for you."

Without another word, Dumbledore had quickly strode down the side of a great hall… the entire room full of students. Harry kept his eye on the retreating figure as the Professor had slipped up to a table at the end of the room upon a raised dais. Leaning against the door, he watched as several of the younger students… most likely first years… were all at the front of the room, each being directed to put an old hat on their head, as the old witch hat directed them to one of the various Houses of the school.

Eventually, after all of the applause had died down after the last of the new students had been directed to one of the tables, Dumbledore stood at a podium and began addressing the school.

"Welcome one and all to another year at Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." After another round of clapping, the ancient wizard continued. "There are many things that will need to be discussed over the next few weeks, new challenges that have arisen in the outside world that may affect the current curriculum, but for now… we will leave that until after I can meet with the Heads of each House.

"To begin, let me remind you all that the Forbidden Forest is off limits to all students. Next, Mr. Filch has once again posted his list of banned items along the hallway outside his office door. I know that this year, Nosebleed Nougats, Fainting Fancies and Extendable Ears have been notably added.

"Also, Rubeus Hagrid has still not returned from holiday, so Professor Grubby-Plank will continue with the Care of Magical Creatures class this year.

"And with greatest apologies, Professor Worple has resigned as the Defense Against the Dark Arts. Let us all welcome Kingsley Shacklebolt, who has graciously been loaned to Hogwarts from the Ministry of Magic… and has accepted the vacant position."

Several whispers broke out among the tables at the Headmaster's announcements, some positive and some negative. Most notably, the Slytherin table (led by Draco Malfoy) had cheered when it had been revealed that Professor Hagrid would not be returning? _I wonder who he is? _

He himself felt like grumbling, seemingly unable to get away from the Aurors babysitting him at Kingsley's new position being announced… even after Harry had offered his word to Dumbledore.

Once things finally settled back down, the Headmaster continued. "Madam Hooch wants it to be known that Quidditch and the House Cup are back, after last year's season being set aside due our hosting the Tri-Wizard's World Cup." At mention of the contest, several students began chanting Cedric Diggory's name, to which Harry allowed himself a brief smile. "Tryouts will be posted at the first of October after the Captain of each House Team gets with Madam Hooch."

The Headmaster paused for a moment, looking over the Great Hall, his eyes settling on Harry, before he turned to look back at the table behind him. To Harry, he was more looking at the other teachers as way of an apology than anything else that the other assembled students might have thought. After a moment, Dumbledore returned his gaze to the assembled students and sighed. Even from across the Great Hall and through his long, white beard, Harry could tell the smile was somewhat forced.

"And finally, we will be admitting a new student into our school. To many, this might not seem such a thing, but extenuating circumstances have left us with little other resource as to what can be done regarding his… unique situation. He will be admitted into the fifth year's schedule… after being placed in a House by our very own Sorting Hat."

Excited talk broke out. Harry scanned the crowds, his training allowing for him to dance along the crowds until he quickly picked out the people he was looking for. Neville, Ginny and Hermione sat at one table, their eyes alight. Even from a distance, Harry could see Neville's mouth move in what appeared to be him asking the others if the Headmaster meant Brightwing?

A quick scan at the other tables soon revealed both Cedric at the table nearest the wall and Luna at a table on the other side of the Gryffindor table. Smiling sadly at what was probably about to happen, Harry took a deep breath and readied himself.

Lifting the Sorting Hat from the stool where it had been sitting, Dumbledore turned and glanced meaningfully at him over the heads of the students sitting at the tables. Many of the people throughout the hall, as well as now all of the professors at the head table, had turned and were watching Harry rest nonchalantly against the doorway." If you would be so kind as to join me here at the front of the Hall, Mr. Brightwing."

"For Padfoot… and for Moony." Harry whispered softly. Pushing back the butterflies that seemed to have filled his stomach, Harry nodded briskly and began walking down the hall between the tables. It took everything that he had to ignore the whispers from the various students as he purposefully and confidently drew closer to the Headmaster. To his left, Harry could hear several female voices began chattering excitedly.

"Who is that?"

"He's cute."

"What kind of name is Brightwing?"

"Says the girl named after their family's pet goat…"

"Look at that scar…"

"Psssst. Brightwing." A voice whispered.

Harry paused as he turned to the right and looked down to find Hermione and Ginny waving at him, their eyes full of support and encouragement. He grinned, though he felt anything but secure at the moment. _What will they do when they learn the truth?_

Harry resumed his trek to the Headmaster. Behind him, he could hear Hermione and Ginny… and Neville, too, fending off questions from other students about who he was, as he finally made it to where Dumbledore was standing.

Harry ran his tongue along his upper lip as he sat on the stool that the Headmaster was gesturing him towards. Turning to where he was now facing the Great Hall, full of students watching him, their eyes never leaving him, but for those that quickly said a word or two before returning to their observation.

Along the far wall, Harry turned to see Draco Malfoy scowling at him. Harry couldn't help but to wink at him. The gesture had the desired effect, as Malfoy immediately recoiled as if Harry had thrown a hex at him.

Harry sighed and wondered at what he was supposed to do, when he suddenly felt a voice entering inside of his head.

"Greetings, Mr. Potter. I had not thought to ever find you under me when you failed to appear some years back."

Harry ignored the snickers that came from several of the students sitting closest to him, as they had all apparently been ready for him to be surprised at what the Sorting Hat could do. Harry considered a moment, while he thought out all of his possible options.

"There is no need to worry, Mr. Potter. This is strictly between us. A private consultation, you might say."

"_Is this real?"_ Harry thought, trying to project his thoughts directly at the hat.

"Yes, yes. Quite real. Now, hold still…" 

Harry waited while the Hat began humming softly. Not able to continually look out to have the other students watching him while a Hat sang a tune in his head, Harry closed his eyes and concentrated on what the Hat was saying.

"_Quite a mess you are, Mr. Potter. All this power… and such incomplete training… you are quite the pickle, I must say."_

"_Pickle?"_

"_Quiet. Let me see… _

"_Loyalty… supportive of those you feel strongly to. Very nice. Hufflepuff might work…. But brave… courageous enough to go back into almost certain death to rescue Sirius Black. Not smart, necessarily, but very, very brave. You could do worse than Gryffindor. And a good head you have on your shoulders, though the education needs serious work. Ravenclaw might help. But look here… the cunning, the desire to get your own way… the deviousness… Slytherin might be best… allow you to be among your own…"_

"_Slytherin?" _Harry mentally asked, a lump rising in his throat.

"_Not happy with that choice, are you Mr. Potter?"_ The Sorting Hat sounded grumpy. _"Too many fight me, push for something they're not. But you could fit well anywhere… though each road will end at different destinations. What do you say, Mr. Potter?"_

Harry opened his eyes as he considered. From the noise level in the room, something seemed to be wrong. Glancing about the room, he could barely make out the nervous chatter as so many students were wondering what was taking so long.

"_Are we too long at this?"_ He asked the Sorting Hat.

"Too long? Never you mind the others, Mr. Potter. We are determining your destiny, we are. Now… what do you say?" 

Harry scanned the room, his eyes finally coming to rest on Hermione and Ginny, both smiling radiantly at him. He wasn't sure exactly why, but more than ever, he was determined to protect them from the horrors they had suffered in their earlier years at the school. _I promised, even if it was to myself._

"_A protector? Defending the weak are we? You might yet fulfill that silly prophecy, Mr. Potter." _The Sorting Hat suddenly sounded surprised._ "I wish you luck. Well then, nothing else but to place you in…_

"GRYFFINDOR!"

He felt the blood rise up his neck and color his cheeks as suddenly Neville, Ginny and Hermione all stood and suddenly cheered. The rest of the house was slow to follow, but at the enthusiasm the three gave for him, they soon were clapping as well.

Harry stood, taking the Sorting Hat off and handed it back to the Headmaster. He chose to ignore the twinkle that seemed to dance in the old wizard's eyes as he smiled condescendingly down at him. "A wise choice. Please," His hand swept out. "Join the rest of your House."

Harry sighed as he straightened his shoulders and moved down the table towards where the three of his newfound friends were waiting. From across the room, Harry could see Cedric and Luna at their tables, though each was clapping for him as well. He quietly nodded in acknowledgement to the others while he took his seat between Ginny and Hermione who had made room for him to sit.

"I'm so happy you got with us." Hermione beamed, as Ginny gave him a quick hug around his neck. "Welcome to Gryffindor."

Harry smiled in response to Neville's look of amusement. His attention was drawn away from the boy sitting across from, however, as he could feel several eyes staring at him intently. Down the table, Harry could see three sets of make redheads, each suspiciously similar in appearance as Ginny.

Following his gaze, Ginny cast a glance of irritation before returning her attention to Harry. "Those are just Fred, George and Ron. Ignore them."

At Harry's look, she flushed prettily. "They're just overprotective sometimes. You let me know if they bother you any."

He could just nod as Hermione leaned over and grabbed his attention. "Lean back."

Just as Harry scooted away from the table, he could hear Professor Dumbledore saying something about tucking in, when suddenly the whole table suddenly exploded, filled along every open space with all type of various foods and treats.

"You l-look like a fish, Brightwing." Neville grinned.

Harry wondered at the statement before he felt Hermione's hand closing his mouth. "We prefer you eat with your mouth not open, Brightwing."

Harry grinned sheepishly as he experimentingly took a small section of mutton in front of him and then began carefully eating it. Finding the food to be delicious, Harry looked at his three new friends, still ignoring the hard looks he was getting from the Ginny's three brothers further down the House table.

Maybe not too bad of prison. _Harry sighed._ Now if he could only find a way to get a message to Moony about where they were keeping Padfoot.


	5. Between Weasleys & Classes

A/N: Great reviews so far… well, except for one, but I'll chalk that up to my own personal stalker. The weekend is coming up, so I'm not sure if I'll get a chance to post another chapter until the new week, so I thought I'd throw another chapter out now. Hope everyone still likes the story.

DISCLAIMER: J.K Rowling… Please adopt me!

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER FOUR – BETWEEN WEASLEYS & CLASSES

"So… how was your first n-night at Hogwarts, Brightwing?" Neville asked as Harry stepped out of the boy's dormitory and headed down to the Gryffindor common room.

Harry shrugged slightly as he pushed his wet hair back out of his face. He was running late, later than he would have liked, but he couldn't stand the idea of not taking advantage of the shower. _Imagine, to actually be clean in the morning_, he thought to himself.

"Not bad," he said aloud, not wanting to ignore his new friend. There was no way that he could explain the guilt that had hit him full force this morning, to find that he was actually somewhat happy here at Hogwarts… not while Moony was out there alone, and Padfoot was locked up.

With a look around, seeing that they were relatively alone, Harry drew Neville closer and gestured to the empty beds. "What's up with the other three?"

Neville shook his head. "Who? You mean Dean, Ron and Seamus?" At Harry's nod, Neville rolled his eyes and directed Harry down the stairs. "Well, other than Ron being protective over Ginny, I think that the three of them don't like the idea of another stud in the field."

"Stud?" Harry asked perplexed.

Neville nodded solemnly. "You're a fairly g-good looking bloke, Brightwing… not that I fancy a-a snog with you," he laughed at Harry's look. "But you got quite an admiring fan club when you walked in last night."

"Me?"

"Yeah," Longbottom smiled. "You. And add that Ginny, Luna and Hermione have been spreading how you stood up to Malfoy…"

"And?" Harry pushed.

"Even Cho's dying to meet you, from what I hear."

"From what you hear?" Harry suddenly demanded, though not near as harshly or as dangerous as he could have. "How? You've been here just as long as I have since we got off the train."

But Neville was already shaking his head. "You're forgetting about the ride up to the castle."

"You mean…?"

Neville grinned in obvious enjoyment of Harry's discomfort. "Everybody was waiting for you well before Professor Dumbledore ever brought up the fact that some mysterious new student was here."

Harry sighed as he carefully considered what his friend was telling him.

"What's worse, mate," Neville added softly as the reached the bottom of the staircase where he found Ginny and Hermione waiting on them. "Professor Dumbledore never called you by any name other than what you told us on the train. All anyone knows to call you is Brightwing… and that includes the professors."

As if on cue, both of the Gryffindor girls drew closer and at once, smiled and called out. "Good morning, Brightwing."

Harry groaned as Neville laughed. "Now, let's get down to breakfast before it's all gone."

Ginny linked her arm through Harry's, while Hermione made sure to take the other. Not to be left out, Harry watched as Hermione looped her other arm through Neville's, as the four of them quickly moved down to the Great Hall.

"Have you gotten you class timetable, yet?" Hermione asked politely.

Harry nodded and was about to recite off his assigned list, when suddenly three shapes were blocking their path. Harry looked back to see what had caused all of them to stop, only to find Ginny's brothers, all three of them, along with two other boys behind them, glaring daggers at him.

"What's are you doi…" Hermione had stepped forward, apparently trying to head off any problems, but was quickly cut off by the younger of the three Weasley brothers.

"Why don't you and _Nevie_ go one down to the Great Hall, Hermione." Ron… was that his name? Ron? … stated. It wasn't a request.

"Look, Ron…" Harry attempted.

"You don't know me. You don't get to talk to me like you're somebody that matters." Ron spat. "I don't know you… just some light wing or something. And I know that you were moon-calfing over our sister… and we don't like that, mate. In fact, we don't bloody well like you."

Harry watched as Neville nervously looked to step up, but Harry hoped to prevent any real trouble on his first official day under Dumbledore's watchful eye. "Go ahead and save me a seat, guys." Harry said, his voice resigned.

"No, really…" Hermione began to argue, but Harry just turned and looked at her. He felt bad at the way Hermione's face blanched, but she quickly composed herself and grabbed Neville's arm. "Let's go make sure we get some food for all of us."

"Right." One of the twins glanced behind him at the other boys. "Why don't you go make sure they go straight to the Great Hall… no deviations to the teachers."

"You need to go on, too, Ginny." One of the twin's suddenly spoke, his eyes never leaving Harry. Harry felt Ginny's arm tighten around his, as she pulled him closer.

"Stop this, all of you." Her voice was heavy and hard. "What do you think you're doing?"

Harry ignored the byplay as the two twins continued to argue with Ginny about her going on ahead, and her each time adamantly refusing. Harry waited until Hermione and Neville… as well as their _shadows_ were around the corner down another hallway before he moved Ginny behind him, effectively cutting her off from her brothers.

"What you think you're doing, mate?" Ron stepped forward, his eyes flashing in anger. "That's our sister, and we're goin' to make sure that she ain't gonna get into any trouble with some bloke looking to find himself a quick shag."

He knew his eyes were as wide as tea saucers as he took in what they were saying. _A quick shag?_ _They think I'm going to take advantage of her?_ Harry felt the quiet build up of his magic begin to fill him as Ginny started yelling at her brothers from behind him. Harry watched as the twins… Fred and George, at least seemed to have the good graces to be somewhat embarrassed, but the younger one was having none of it.

"Look, sis…"

"Don't 'sis' me, Ronald." He flinched at her use of his name. "I remember you blubbering like a first year about Scabbers running off… and that was just last year. You may think you're some big shot around here, but you can't run off my friends… no matter what you might think!"

"Friend? Friend!" Ron's voice started to get louder. "I saw you hugging this bloke at the table last night." The twins both nodded. "You always hug your _friends_ like that? In the middle of the whole school with everyone watching?"

Harry turned to see Ginny blushing. Harry had had enough by that point. Turning back to the three brothers, he stepped forward to find three wands suddenly pointed directly at him.

Padfoot's voice suddenly filled his head. **_When a fight's inevitable, strike fast. Strike hard. Strike first._**

Harry darted his eyes to the three wands as his hand moved faster than any of them expected… each wand pulled roughly out of all their grasps. Suddenly unarmed, all three had only enough time to widen their eyes in disbelief as Harry stepped up and pushed at Ron, using both his muscles and a little nudge with his reserve power. It was enough that the younger Weasley boy was suddenly down on the ground, taking the other two with him.

Stepping closer to all of them, effective preventing an chance of an easy grab for them to reclaim their wands, Harry let his eyes glow with inner power as he stared down at all of them as they began to scoot back from his approach.

"First things first," Even to Harry, his voice sounded cold. "I'm not your _mate_. And if you keep acting like this, I never will be."

"How did you… ?" One of the twins began.

"… move so fast?" The other completed.

Satisfied that all three were watching him, Harry kept his face free of emotion as he took a moment to look each in the eye before continuing. "As for taking liberties with your sister…" At this he took a deep breath. "I have never made any untoward advances… not one… and I will kindly ask that you never go making such accusations toward me, or her," he added, "without provocation ever again."

Ron began stuttering until Harry looked at him sharply. Ron immediately quieted. "And if you ever even think of trying to threaten me again…" Harry grinned evilly. "I make no guarantee that you won't require medical treatment once we are though."

He waited a moment before finishing. "Are we clear?"

All three looked completely stunned. Harry waited silently, never lifting his gaze, until slowly, one by one, all three nodded, albeit reluctantly.

"Good."

Harry turned to find Ginny had not moved from where he had positioned her earlier. He smiled inwardly at the look of absolute shock at having manhandled all three of her brothers that was easily read across her face. Shaking herself out of her momentary stupor, Ginny looked up and met Harry's eyes. With a small smile that suddenly had Harry thinking thoughts that the three Weasley brothers had just accused him of, Ginny nodded and moved over and linked her arm through his again.

"Shall we?" Harry asked.

Lifting her head up after a quick look of pure venom for her brothers still lying on the floor, Ginny nodded. "Yes. Let's."

Harry escorted Ginny down towards the Great Hall, hoping that they had not wasted too much time as to have completely missed the morning meal.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Breakfast had ended up taking longer than Harry had expected, especially after he had been forced to rush since the confrontation with Ginny's brothers had taken up so much of his time. Glancing down one hallway then the next, he realized that he was lost. Potions class with Professor Snape was his first class of the morning… but it looked like he might miss it.

_I can't believe that Snape is here!_ Harry mentally screamed. _All those stories about how he treated my parents. Merlin, but I wish I could say something._

Harry had hoped to go along with Hermione or Ginny, or even Neville, but Hermione and Neville had stayed at breakfast only long enough to know that he was all right, before dashing off. Ginny had stayed to eat with him briefly, but she had apologized profusely, color creeping into her cheeks, and then ran off to the other side of the school grounds for her Care of Magical Creatures class.

"Are you lost, young man?"

Harry twisted in surprise, trying to ascertain the origin of the voice, when he finally looked up to find a severe looking woman in painting on the wall staring down at him.

"Well?" Speak up. Where are you supposed to be?"

"Uhm. Potions. In Profess…"

"Yes. Yes." The two-dimensional woman waved her hand. "You're going to lose points, boy. She pointed further down the dungeon hallway. "Last door on the left. And be quick about it."

Harry ducked his head in thanks and then moved as fast as he could to beat the clock. He knew that there was no way he would make it, but he had to at least give it an effort.

After another mistakenly opened door, Harry finally found the correct door. Upon entering the dank room, he sighed as he watched the teacher, a tall, gaunt man with long black hair and a large nose stare directly at him. _Just like they described him._

"Ah, yes. Our resident mystery guest." His voice oozed with scorn. "Ten points from Gryffindor for being late Mr…" Harry felt his heart was in his throat as the professor glared at him. "Brightwing, I believe?"

At Harry's quick nod, the professor grimaced. "And another ten points for that stupid name."

To the side, several of the other students snickered, as Harry had to stand there, seething. The professor flicked his eyes about the classroom, his gaze falling on each of the sources of noise, which promptly fell away. "Now, take a seat over there…"

Harry turned to find an empty space next to one of the Gryffindor's in his dorm room… _Seamus, wasn't it?_ Harry looked around the room as he set his books and parchments down, his gaze moving over to where Hermione and Neville both sat together, looks of sympathy plain on their faces. Harry smiled encouragingly. _No reason for them to worry, was there? _

From in front of him, Harry glanced up and felt a groan start to usher from his mouth as Ron Weasley turned and glared at him from the table directly in front on his.

"Mr. Weasley?" Professor Snape's voice called out, causing Ron to turn back to the front quickly. "Another five points for being so… enraptured with our new… celebrity. Now pay attention." As Ron opened his mouth to retort, Snape's eyes narrowed. "Another ten points from Gryffindor."

Harry sighed as he ignored the looks from Ron and Dean, both directly ahead of him, and his Potions' partner, Seamus to his right. _Thirty-five points in less than two minutes? What a way to start the first day of classes…._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Harry trudged down the staircase ignoring the people walking all around him, his mind swirling with information, as he finally made it down to the Great Hall for dinner. Potions had been the worst of the day, although the rest of his classes weren't much better, especially as all of the teachers had showed their disdain for him being there. Transfiguration had been nearly as bad as Potions, under the Head of Gryffindor, Professor McGonagall.., as he was sure that she could sense the hidden talents that Padfoot had taught him so early in life.

_Of course,_ he thought cheekily, _if what that Lavender girl had said before class was true and the teacher could turn into a cat, then there might have been another reason for her to seem so…so… predatory towards him._

"Brightwing?"

He brought his attention back to the present and looked up to find two girls from Gryffindor….Lavender and Pavarti, both from Transfiguration, smiling at him.

Confused, he wondered if he'd missed something in the conversation. "I'm sorry. What?" _Had she been talking about her sister? Padma, wasn't it?_

Both girls batted their eyelashes and grinned, apparently believing that their attentions were affecting him. "We wanted to know if you wanted to sit with us?" As Harry blinked several times, Pavarti Patil laughed and drew closer. "At dinner? Tonight? We thought you might like to sit with us."

His mind went blank as he recalled Neville's words earlier regarding the girls at the school trying to figure him out. The other girl, Lavender, seemed to take his silence as agreement, as she began talking brightly, her words almost rushing one on top of the other, as they both turned and led Harry to the Great Hall.

"Great… so… where are you from? What kind of name is Brightwing? Are you parents wizards?"

Harry looked out over their heads, hoping to find some form of salvation, when suddenly a hand grasped his shoulder and a deep voice brought the small group to an immediate halt. "Hey. There you are."

Harry craned his neck over his right shoulder to find Cedric and Ginny standing there. Cedric's face was serious. "Listen. Cho's going to be up in Madam Pomfrey's for the next bit… and I was going to carry her something to eat since she's likely to miss the meal."

"Yeah?" Harry asked… not really sure what Cedric was talking about.

"I wanted to ask if you'd watch out for Ginny? Maybe see if you can find Hermione and Neville and we'll all try to meet up later before curfew?"

Harry immediately nodded. "Of course. You can count on me."

Both of the girls that had been steering him their way huffed in disappointment, Lavender Brown even going so far as to cross her arms and stare at him reproachfully. "But Brightwing…"

Harry held up his hands and smiled, trying to appear upset, though he was _sooo_ glad to be out of their clutches. "Hey. Duty calls. Maybe another time."

Cedric shared a private grin with Harry away from where anyone else could see, before he finally turned and started heading up to the infirmary. "Thanks, Brightwing. I owe you one."

Harry smirked as he pulled away from Lavender's possessive grip. _Nope. I definitely owe you one._

Ginny was watching Harr, her face revealing nothing… completely unreadable. For a moment, he just stood there and watched her, wondering at the look she was giving him. Several times, Harry was sure that she was about to say something… to just open her mouth and start a conversation… maybe _the_ conversation… but she never did. Finally, the petite redhead sighed and yanked her head towards the double doors leading into the Hall.

"Ready to go eat?"

Harry shuffled his feet. That wasn't what she had considered saying… not at first. He wasn't sure how he knew that, but there was just something about the way she held herself, the way Ginny's chocolate brown eyes seemed to take in everything that he was in that moment, holding him in place with nothing more than a look. _Something was definitely up._

Harry moved to walk beside her as they moved into the larger room, slowly heading for the Gryffindor table. He intentionally ignored the haughty sniffs that were coming over by where Lavender, Pavarti and others were watching. "Is everything okay, Ginny?"

The youngest Weasley looked sharply at him from the corner of her eye. He had half expected her face to become flushed at his question, as oft she was wont to do when he caught her… but this time, her face remained impassive. She moved in front of him, leading him to the far end of the table, well away from where they usually sat. With her finger, she pointed for him to take a seat across from where she herself sat down.

A momentary flicker of his eyes, as well as a reach of his senses reveled to him that no one was particularly nearby or close enough to interrupt the conversation that was about to take place. The silence between them built. With a sigh, Harry reached over and ladled some of the meat pie onto his plate. Without a word, he offered to do the same for Ginny, but she demurely shook her head, instead reaching out for a crust of bread and began picking at it.

Harry felt a moment of panic at her reluctance to even look at him. Trying to relax, he twisted his head to look down the length of the dining table. He knitted his brow in frustration as he realized that there were actually very few Gryffindor at the table, much less in the entire hall. Worse, though, was that neither Neville nor Hermione were anywhere in sight.

"Everyone's hiding at the moment." Ginny spoke, answering his unspoken question.

Harry turned and quickly looked at her, wondering at her words.

"Hiding?"

She nodded, her gaze still refusing to meet his, as her fingers deftly continued to pull out the innards of the bread, quick movements of her hand tossed the uneaten bits being tossed negligently around her plate.

"What's going on, Ginny?"

Deliberately setting the crusty remains of the roll that she had just demolished away from her, she finally lifted her head and looked directly at him. "Do you remember your promise?"

Harry jumped at her words. _Promise? How did she know? Wait. Don't panic. What did she know?_ He sat there stumped, his green eyes staring back into brown ones, hoping to somehow gain some type of an understanding at what she was talking about.

As he stayed there silently, Ginny nodded. "Less than a full day, actually, and you still haven't said anything about you knowing Professor Shacklebolt… or why he was here." Harry froze, the spoon still in his mouth from the bite of pie he'd been eating at her words. "Or your real name… who you are, where you come from."

"Ginny…"

"No." She cut him off. "No. This isn't about forcing you to get you to explain."

Harry leaned back, almost throwing the silver utensil onto the half eaten plate. "Its not?"

She winced as shook her head, the red ponytail rocking back and forth from behind her reddening ears. "Not really… no." Harry watched as she picked at her robes, carefully dusting off the various breadcrumbs that had dotted the dark material like stars in the night sky. "But it hurts Hermione that you don't trust us … her."

_Hermione?_ Harry contemplated the short girl's words, only halfheartedly realizing that she was carefully watching him up from her eyelashes.

"But, I…" Harry paused. _What was he going to say?_

Ginny seemed to take pity on him at that moment, her eyes glistening, the reflection on the torches along the walls creating a dance of fireworks. "You know that she… well, she fancies you? You realized that, didn't you, Brightwing?"

"Fancies me?" He barked. His eyes wide. "You're mental. How can you say something like that? I barely know her… she barely knows me."

Ginny was staring at him again, though her face had taken on that mysterious look that he couldn't read. "You don't think she's pretty?"

There was an undercurrent to her voice, something that he felt that he should realize, but it eluded him. Recklessly, he nodded. "I think both you and Hermione… all three, actually. Luna, too. I think all of you are very pretty…"

His voice trailed off at seeing the look she was giving him, her eyes dark_. Had he upset her? How could you upset a girl by saying that she was pretty?_

"Well…" Ginny's voice was slow, deliberate. "She does fancy you, Brightwing… and she thinks you might fancy her."

_Is this because of the flirting on the train?_ His immediate response was to shake his head that he didn't, that she was wrong… but as he thought about everything that had happened so far, of the near desperate way that he had sought out someone to relate to, no matter how he might have done so unintentionally, he realized Hermione might actually fancy him… but more importantly, that he did somewhat fancy her back. Worse though, as he looked deep inside of himself, he realized something else…

_He fancied Ginny Weasley, as well._

_And maybe… just maybe, she fancied him, too._

Harry felt himself blush, the idea of not one… but two unbelievably beautiful girls fancying him at the same time. He quietly considered the various possibilities… thoughts common to a healthy fifteen year old boy crossing his mind's eye, when the reality of what was actually being said and not said hit him: _Ginny AND Hermione liked him! What would that do to their friendships? _

In the background of his head, Harry could almost hear Remus and Sirius laughing. _Oh, yes. They would be delighted to laugh over this type of predicament_… the idea of taking a break from all of the running and training and fighting… for Harry to get caught between two females with the same target in mind.

He tried not to smile as he considered the ribbing that his godfather and honorary uncle would submit him to… but the thoughts of the two of them brought more of the guilt that he felt, the idea of Moony having to go on, not knowing where Padfoot really was, much less Harry's current whereabouts. And that didn't even cover what Sirius was suffering, imprisoned.

Harry refocused his gaze to see that Ginny was staring at him.

"What?" He asked finally.

"Do you fancy Hermione?"

_And just how was he supposed to answer that?_ He thought to himself. _ Is she setting me up or is she genuinely asking?_ Harry picked up his spoon and began playing with the sauce that was running along his plate, tracing various designs. _How do I feel? Really?_

"I don't know." He answered honestly.

Now he was avoiding _her_ gaze. "Well, you might want to really think about it." Ginny answered, her voice soft, but clear in the gigantic room. "She really likes you… took to you pretty much as soon as she saw you, I think. And I don't want to see her hurt."

Harry looked up at that. "I won't hurt her, Ginny. Neither of you, actually." He smiled as she blushed. "But I can't say that I know exactly how I feel, either."

He watched as her eyes narrowed. Thoughts danced across her face as she opened her mouth. Without a word, she seemed to reconsider, and then closed her mouth with a snap. Much to Harry's surprise, Ginny stood up to go. "I've got homework."

Wishing maybe that she wouldn't run from the conversation and ask the question… even though the real talk that they might need was still far away, Harry agreed and let her walk out of the Hall. He watched, satisfied, as Cedric suddenly appeared from a corner shadow and met up with her to walk her back to the dormitory.

Silently, he pushed his unfinished dinner away. _How could he consider somebody fancying him when they didn't even know his real name?_

"Hey. Bird brain!" A voice came from directly behind him.

Harry started, so intent on Ginny's leaving that he had let his guard down… Padfoot would be disappointed. Turning to look over his shoulder, he stifled a groan at finding four Slytherin boys standing behind him, a dangerous look in their eyes.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

The blonde boy ran his hand over his hair… Harry noticed it was gelled so thickly that not a single hair moved, and then looked over at the posse he'd brought with him. The two guerillas, Crabbe and Goyle, were there. The other boy was one he'd seen in Potions… _Blaise Zabini, I think._ His cold eyes raked over Harry as his lip curled up in a sneer.

"Stay away from little Weasley. She's been claimed, already."

At Draco's words, Harry felt his eyes widen. "Claimed?"

Goyle cracked his knuckles in an attempt to appear menacing. "Just stay outta our way."

_Why does it always come down to fighting?_ Harry began to stand, his hand moving quickly to where he kept his wand, when another voice pulled everyone's attention to the head table. "Is there a problem here?"

Harry turned to look into the disapproving gaze of Professor McGonagall. Malfoy quickly assumed an innocent expression, as his cronies all began to disperse, scattering from the Deputy Headmistress. "No, ma'am. We were just wondering what the new student's schedule was going to be like."

Before Harry could respond to such an obviously false excuse, the Gryffindor Head nodded curtly. "Why don't you worry about your own schedules, Mr. Malfoy. I'm sure Mr…. Brightwing realizes he needs to get back to his dormitory."

Sighing, Harry tried to keep the heat of his anger out of his face and stood to leave. The elderly witch looked at him with something akin to sympathy. Ignoring her, he turned to leave when Malfoy's voice came from behind him. "Just remember what I said, Dullwing."

_Great. No place to make friends like prison. _


	6. Silhouettes

DISCLAIMER: I bow before the queen of writing, J.K. Rowling. I am nothing… but I so like pretending I am something more.

A/N: Sorry that this is such a short chapter. The next few after this one are much longer. In answer to a few emails… yes, things will begin to pick up. I'm trying to sort through some of the teenage angst before getting to the darkness. Hope you keep reading.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER FIVE – SILHOUETTES

Ginerva Weasley, though only her Mum and Dad called her that… her brothers liked to tease her about the name… kicked off her shoes and fell back on her bed with a thump. The first week of classes had seemed to almost zoom by without too much of an incident, though by the stacks of parchments due in her classes on Monday were any clue… the week had been plenty long enough. Twisting over on her stomach as she stretched, Ginny glanced over to the rest of the room, happy to see that the other three beds were empty. Sometimes, it was just easier to relax when you were alone.

Her eyes shot over to Hermione's bed. Like almost everything else in her best friend's life, the bed was immaculate and orderly. Books were carefully stacked next to the bedside dresser and all clothes were either carefully folded in her trunk, or set to the side in the hamper for washing. In fact, the only thing of Hermione's that really wasn't perfectly placed was her cat, Crookshank. Nope, that cat was stretched haphazardly across the pillow… almost a mirror of Ginny's own position on her bed.

Noise from the common room slowly drifted up to the girls' hall. Ginny could easily pick out all three of her brothers' voices… so used to them from home. She gritted her teeth as she considered what Fred and George had done to Brightwing this morning.

Things had been going on so well. Breakfast had been full of laughter and frivolity… she wrinkled her nose at using a word like that. _Percy must be rubbing off on me some_. Neville had just finished another one of his infamous stories about his gran… something to do with mistaking a Devil's Snare for a Flitterbloom with oh so disastrous results. Brightwing had suddenly started talking about his past.

Ginny moved so that she was now properly lying on her bed, her eyes staring off into the ceiling, though her mind continued to replay that morning. It had been perfect… his hands constantly pushing back at his unruly black hair that would fall in front of those gorgeous green eyes… his smile, the way only the right side of his lip would quirk up. And the way she could feel her heart flutter when he looked at her…

_Oh, yes…_

One moment, they were all laughing at Neville's story, and then the next, Ginny and Hermione were frozen, their eyes locked, as Brightwing started talking. She wondered idly if anyone else had realized what was occurring at that moment… How special she had felt. _He was finally opening up… trusting me… us. I meant us._

_Thirty-two words,_ she remembered. Words for the beginning of a story that would never be finished… "_When I was about seven… though Padfoot can never keep any dates right, we went to Ireland. Some Muggle golf contest or something. A way to get lost in the crowds, when…" _Brightwing got thirty-two words of his story out when pandemonium broke out.

Ginny's breath left her as Brightwing began to choke, his eyes widening in sudden surprise. Neville had been the first to move to aide him… then Dean who'd caught on that something was wrong. She and Hermione had been too surprised to move… to even consider what to do. _Hermione even came up later to apologize for her inability to help. Why was she apologizing to me? She was the one that was crushing on him so bad!_

She closed her eyes as she remembered Brightwing falling backwards off of the bench, silence suddenly rippling through the entire Great Hall as students realized that something was going wrong. Neville was yelling. Ginny finally stood, her muscles finally moving into action even though her brain seemed stuck in mud. She could remember Hermione's hands going up to her mouth, shock on her face, and Ginny felt her world come to a halt. There had almost been tears… not knowing what was happening, other students all around that side of the table, preventing her from seeing what was going on.

It was then, in that silence that the laughter started.

Her head turned like a predatory owl as her eyes locked onto Fred and George, as well as several other boys… _Lee Jordan, especially_, all leaning back, laughing hysterically. It took a moment to make the connection that her brothers were laughing and Brightwing was having a fit, all at the same time.

Ginny turned to find Hermione watching her, too, as others in the Great Hall started to laugh, as well. Ginny couldn't understand what was going no until finally the mass of students that had been frantically surrounding Brightwing moved back, giving Ginny her first chance to see what had occurred.

Brightwing's black hair had been turned green. And not a green that went with his eyes. No, this was the type of green that Professor Flitwick often had them pulling out of the bottom of buckets in detention. This was the shade of color that reminded you of being sick.

_It had been a prank!_

The sound of laughter filled the air as a collective sigh seemed to reverberate among the people present. Ginny felt a pull to glance up at the head Table, not actually surprised to see several of the professors sitting back down, worry slowly fading from their faces.

Ginny closed her eyes for a moment and turned to find Brightwing had grabbed a few left over slices of the roast and two slices of bread. He refused to look at any of them, he silently stood there, bent over the table, making a quick sandwich. Once the task completed, his hand grabbed his goblet and he quickly drained the last of his pumpkin juice.

"_I'm going to finish eating up in my room." He'd sad quietly, his voice cold._

_Neville had stood then, his plan to go with Brightwing clear when the other boy shook his head. "You stay here with them. No one's gonna want to bother with me right now. Not if they're smart." _Ginny had wanted to hug herself at the harshness that those words portrayed.

That perfect moment was gone…

A story about his childhood was lost….

And the rest of the day had not fared any better.

Professor Shacklebolt had deducted five points for Brightwing's inattention to what he'd been eating, claiming that one had to always be prepared for an attack. Brightwing had proudly stood there, the green of his hair pulling sniggers and outright laughter from many of the other students. Even many of the girls that had been following him around lately grinned as his falling victim to one of the Weasley pranks.

Neither she nor Hermione, or any of the others for that matter… well, except for Cho, she amended. Cho had taken one look and had left the room. Brightwing had never said anything. Every wall that they'd brought down. Every door that had been unlocked. It was all back and in force.

He'd skipped lunch… Neville professed that he was taking showers at every free opportunity. It, of course, did not help. Thankfully, though, it didn't get any worse. Hermione and she had tried to get him to come to lunch, but he'd missed out on that meal, as well. Ginny had spent the entire evening meal contemplating what she could do. She had considered hexing Fred and George at that moment, damned be the consequences of doing it in front of the whole class body, not to mention the professors and the Headmaster.

_No. _

_Revenge would have to be slow and quiet… and something to which the twins wouldn't consider as a challenge, but as a warning._

Closing her eyes, Ginny sighed as she felt the tension beginning to leave her neck as her body began to relax. _Padfoot… I've heard that name before. Why am I thinking of Fred saying something about Padfoot… _

_I wonder who Padfoot is…?_

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Ginny awoke to find that the room was dark. Taking stock of her situation, she found that she was still fully dressed, but had at least a blanket thrown over her… most likely Hermione's doing. At thought of the brown-haired girl, Ginny shot a look over at the other bed… the curtains closed.

Feeling the need to relieve the pressure in her bladder, Ginny silently stood up and slipped quietly into the girls' lavatory in the tower… making sure to grab one of her nightgowns from her trunk. Once the call of nature had been answered, Ginny padded silently in her bed robes and socks when she heard voices whispering down in the common room.

The need to satisfy her curiosity too much, she carefully began creeping down the stairs, ignoring the scandalous mutterings her mother would give for seeing her one and only daughter skulking through the shadows, clearly up to something not proper and ladylike. The thought bring a smile to her lips, she carefully moved past the squeaky step on the stairs and reached the edge of the door… able to see clearly into the common room.

She took in a gulp of air and held it, as silhouetted from the remaining embers from the fireplace, she could see Brightwing and Hermione, very close and talking together.

For a moment, Ginny had to close her eyes as a wave of conflicting emotions tore at her heart. _This is what she wanted… all that Hermione had talked about since having bloody well laid eyes on the boy. _ Ginny tried to focus on her best friend and her happiness… but Ginny realized that she secretly wanted Brightwing to be sitting there with her on that couch, the dancing flicker of the fire on their skin… his and hers… not his and Hermione's.

Silently chastising herself for being such a horrible, retched friend, Ginny started to move back up the stairs, when snippets of the two lovebirds' conversation started to assault her.

"…ieve you." Brightwing's voice. Spoken so softly, the whisper sent chills along her spine even though he was talking to someone else.

"… does. You feel the same, right?"

Ginny looked back to see Brightwing shake his head. "Too complicated."

"What's so complicated?"

_What were they talking about? Why were they even talking?_ Ginny couldn't help but run the mental pictures through her mind of attacking Brightwing, snogging him senseless, until he was gasping for breath. She knew there was a goofy grin on her face, but the randy thought caused her stomach to flutter.

Hermione's voice and then his both said something. She berated herself as she realized that her fantasy had caused her to miss part of the conversation. By the warm orange glow from the hearth, Ginny could see that Hermione's eyes were wet, though no tears fell along her cheek.

"… tell how you…"

Brightwing laughed, though not so much like something was funny… but more like he was being told something he knew to be false. _What were they talking about?_

"Goodnight, 'Mione."

At that, Brightwing reached over and squeezed her shoulder. Suddenly realizing that they were both getting up, Ginny silently cursed herself for eavesdropping… plus the fact that she was going to get caught! As fast as she could, she ran up the stairs, ignoring the loud creak as her foot came down on the loose step. Throwing caution to the wind, she picked up the pace and nearly dove into her bed, feigning sleep.

It seemed like forever, though, in truth, most likely only a moment of two had passed before Ginny heard her friend entering into their room. She waited, silently, the weight on her best friend's eyes on her like a visible touch… until she finally heard Hermione getting into bed.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Look!" Luna cried suddenly. "There it is again."

Ginny turned quickly, her eyes trying to follow exactly where her friend was pointing. The morning sun was just high enough that she was forced to use both of her hands to shield her eyes from the glare. "I still don't see it."

Luna Lovegood harrumphed. "From the sun… go down towards the lake. Can't you see it?"

Ginny tried not to wince at the blonde's pleading. It had started this morning during breakfast… She had been carefully watching both Hermione and Brightwing… not sure how to act after having secretly witnessing part of the conversation the previous night, but the two of them were not talking. Brightwing had been deep in conversation with Neville, discussing the possibility of an upcoming quiz in Herbology, while Hermione had her nose in a book… something that proclaimed to be the Number One Bestseller.

_Must be a Muggle thing, _Ginny had quietly thought to herself.

Luna had come down to the Hall late, slipping tiredly into her seat and had immediately started mumbling between bites of toast about the unusual bird that she had been seeing around the school.

Ginny shook herself as she felt a smile creeping across her mouth. Leave it to her to not take the advice she so often gave to others when dealing with Looney Luna. Nope. Ginny had immediately asked her friend what bird she was talking about… which now had her, in the time between Care of Magical Creatures and Divination scanning the sky, trying to find some mysterious bird that had Luna all excited.

"It's gone now." Luna seemed depressed.

Ginny smiled apologetically. "Maybe we can try again later." If this ends up being another one of her Dad's crazy made up inventions that filled the headlines of The Quibbler… She sighed. "I'm sure that if you keep seeing it, eventually I'll get a chance, too."

Luna looked over gratefully, her pale blue eyes suddenly holding something… something… well, something more than Ginny could put words to. "Do you think Brightwing would like to look for it with us?"

Ginny tilted her head to the side. "I'm sure everyone will be glad to help."

Luna blushed lightly. Ginny inwardly groaned_. Does Luna like Brightwing, too? What would Hermione say to that?_

"I'm sure Brightwing would be glad to look with you, Luna." Ginny decided to ignore the blood rushing through the pale skinned girl's face.

Luna shook her head, her eyes wide. "No. You and Brightwing. Together looking…" Luna's eyes danced. "Or maybe looking at each other rather than for the bird."

Ginny turned her gaze from scanning the skyline to her friend standing next to her. "What? Why would you say that?"

"He likes you."

"Likes me? You mean you think Brightwing…?"

Luna nodded.

"Me? And… and… him?"

Luna nodded again.

Ginny shook her head. "No. No way. Hermione fancies him. And more to the point, Brightwing fancies her.

"He and I… No. He and are… are just… well… just friends." Ginny finished lamely.

"You and Hermione have talked about this?"

Ginny nodded. "That first night… 'ell, almost every night since school started. All she can do is go on and on about how good looking he is and how great he is and how strong he is."

The blonde turned a thoughtful gaze back at the castle, her eyes closing in apparent concentration. "And did you tell Hermione you're feelings about him?"

"Of course not!" Ginny jumped. "And you can't either." _Wait! Did Luna just fool me into admitting I liked him?_

Ginny felt her face redden at the self-satisfied look across her friend's face. She started to stutter out an explanation… to make Luna believe that she hadn't meant to say something like that at all. Ginny grimaced as Luna began twirling in place, humming a merry little tune.

"Listen to me…"

Luna continued to spin. Ginny moved over closer and grabbed her taller friend by the shoulders, stopping her abruptly in the middle of her private song and dance. "I want Hermione to be happy."

Luna nodded slowly, but Ginny wasn't satisfied. "Luna. Say that you understand. Promise me that you won't say anything to Hermione about any of this."

Luna's face was still as Ginny finally turned and looked directly into the blonde girl's eyes. For a moment, Ginny considered fleeing up the path and hurrying to Divination, but something about the way Luna stood, her head cocked to her left… almost as if she was listening to something that only she could hear.

Ginny started to worry after a few moments of silence extended to much longer. Fearing that she had insulted her friend… _though she bloody well couldn't figure out how_… Luna suddenly leaned forward conspiratorially and whispered… though her voice carried clear and strong.

"Pushing away the rain does nothing when it is determined to fall on you." Luna's smile brightened her whole face. "You can hide under an umbrella… even in a house, but eventually the storm clouds will get you."

"What in Merlin's name does that mean?"

Luna's nose wrinkled. "I think that whether you want to believe it or not… you're about to get wet."


	7. Outside of the School

_A/N: Weekend plans changed, so I was able to get this chapter out. I like this chapter… I think it helps set up some of the things that are going to happen a bit later on. Thanks to all of my readers for all of the hits and reviews so far. All of your support keeps me at my computer trying to get this coming out, much faster than I'd originally planned. I'm a review junkie, I guess._

_DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. Not stealing, just borrowing._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER SIX – OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL

Arthur Weasley leaned back in his chair, his fingers interlocked behind his head as he dangerously leaned back on the rear two legs, something his wife, Molly, would never let him do if he were at home. But he wasn't at home… not tonight. Currently, Arthur was still in his office at the Ministry in the Department for Misuse of Muggle Artifacts… a job that he thoroughly enjoyed, that kept him happy… and that he was completely ignoring at the moment.

No. Today, nothing could seem to penetrate the gloom that he felt in his heart… his mind going over the many possibilities and scenarios of the myriad of options to what was coming… and the fact that there was no way to avoid it: He was scared to go home.

To admit such to himself was not nearly enough, he knew. He knew because it wasn't necessarily that the idea of being at home scared him. In fact, he loved his home… the home that he and Molly had created together. A home that had started out as a small, cozy one bedroom for he and his wife… with the several add-ons coming later, each time due to the arrival of yet another addition to the family.

He'd thought that he would only need to expand two to three times. His eyebrows went up as he named off all seven of his wonderful children. Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George, Ron and then Ginny. _Ginerva Molly Weasley._ The apple of his eye and the melody in his soul. _Daddy's little fairy princess._ The only girl child born into the Weasley clan in several generations. And it was his lovely little Ginny that was at the crux of his dimena now.

Arthur Weasley was hiding. Hiding from the coming storm that was named Molly Weasley, the mother of his children… the mother of Ginny.

Setting the chair's four legs all back down to the floor, Arthur looked to the timepiece on his desk, his stomach suddenly tying in knots as he could see that he was already late for returning home. A few more minutes and the missus was going to be off looking for him… an easy job considering the grandfather clock in their house at the Burrows. He knew that he should get up. To be a man about this, to step right over to the floo and head straight home, to face her wrath… but instead, Arthur picked up the parchment that had been delivered earlier that day… and for the quaazillionth time, he read the quick note, hoping against hope that the words had changed since the last time he'd read the missive.

_Arthur – _

_I must insist upon intruding upon your hospitality this evening. I feel that you must be made aware that your daughter, Miss Ginerva Weasley, as well as several of her friends, have become close to the young man we were able to have attend Hogwarts this year.. _

_While I am pleased by this turn of events and the chances that this may give to our ultimate success, I feel that you… as well as Molly, should be given prior notice, especially as a Meeting with our collegues has been scheduled for next week._

_I have taken the liberty of already informing Molly that I would be joing you for dinner._

_Sincerely,_

_Albus Dumbledore,_

_Headmaster_

_Hogwarts Schhol of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_Order of Merlin, First Class_

Tapping the parchment with the tip of his wand, Arthur mumbled out a quick bark and watched as the yellowed skin suddenly evaporated in a flash of yellow flame, the ashes sprinkling off the edge of his desk. Standing up from behind his desk, he quietly stepped over several Muggle items that were currently under investigation to grab his coat and hat off of the stuffed moosehead that was currently hanging on his office wall… the antlers making a great hat rack.

Once dressed, Arthur mimicked the attitude of a man in charge of his own destiny, hoping that at least the appearance (if not the actual follow through) might be enough for him to survice for the next day. Arthur strode over to the office hearth and quickly grabbed a healthy pinch of green powder that was provided and available to all Ministry officials. Taking a deep breath, he threw the floo powder into the hearth… the green flames quickly catching him.

"The Burrow." He cried.

His office fell silent moments after the Weasley patriarch vanished, the unseen shadows that had watched him for the past few hours only finally slipping away into the darkness when he did not immediately return.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

It was always unnerving to come home to a quiet house, even after the past few years… though if he really thought about it, he should have been somewhat prepared. He shook his head as he considered how he actually missed coming home from an office in chaos to a home that made the office seem orderly. Seven children had been a handful… but he couldn't imagine a life that could have been full of love and happiness without each and every one of them.

It had broken his and Molly's heart when the first one went off to school. It was even harder when there were two gone. Three was near intolerable. But then the twins went… and that left only two in the house. Then Ron went, leaving only Ginny… and then there had been the horrible realization four years ago that the Burrows was empty of children. He and Molly were alone together again, which had sounded nice in theory, but was nigh unbearable in practice. Sure, the children came back home during the holidays, summer being the time for the longest visit, but the twins, Ron and Ginny had been back to school for nearly three weeks now… and the emptiness had returned. But even that had been fleeting when Bill… and then Charlie and Percy had moved out to begin lives and careers of their own.

_Where had the time gone?_ Arthur considered as he stepped away from the hearth.

"Arthur?" Molly's voice came out from the kitchen. "Is that you, dear?"

"I'm home." He called back, smiling. The wonderful aromas of Molly's cooking suddenly wafted to his nose, setting his mind afire with images of the wondrous dishes that she would make. She had definitely gotten Dumbledore's missive about coming over. Any chance for Molly to cook and entertain would set her to creating a meal that would be beyond belief.

Forcing a smile onto his face, Arthur entered the kitchen, into a controlled flurry of activity. The counters were all already covered in dishes; a pan of meatloaf, a bowl of her famous mashed potatoes… corn, green beans… a spoon was currently stirring a white substance in a mixing bowl, most likely the batter for a cake possibly for desert. Molly Weasley was bent over the oven, a pan of fresh baked bread almost glowing in her mitt-covered hands.

"How was work, dear?"

Arthur shrugged. "Another day."

Keeping the smile on his face, he leaned over and quickly kissed his wife on the cheek. "I take it that you are getting ready for our guest tonight. Quite a bit of food for one guest."

Molly shrugged as she set the bread on the stovetop. Dropping the mitts onto a flour-covered, but otherwise empty area next to the sink, she smiled beautifully back at him. "Guests. Albus sent a message before you arrived that we should expect at least two other guests along with him."

"Three?"

Arthur never got to hear his wife's thoughts, as the hearth in the living room suddenly sounded, harking someone's arrival. As he turned to return to the leaving room in order to greet their guest, the hearth flared twice more. _Three guests, indeed._

"Oh, I need another minute." Molly suddenly exclaimed, her gaze critically running to the dessert still not ready. "Be a dear and see to our company."

He nodded, knowing better than to argue. Continuing on into the other room, Arthur glanced briefly at the clock on the wall, marking that his family was safe… though none but his and his wife's names currently showed "home." Shaking his head ruefully, he moved out of the kitchen and was brought up short.

Albus Dumbledore, possibly the greatest wizard of this age… or any other, for that matter, was standing in the middle of the room, quietly wiping the floo powder from his garish robes. Arthur had expected the Headmaster. It was the fact that Paul Whittington, an Auror for the Ministry, and Amelia Bones, the current head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, stood silently behind him.

Nodding in greeting, Arthur held out his hand. "Albus. How are you?"

The seemingly kindly old wizard smiled benevolently, firmly gripping his hand. "Thank you for having us, especially under such short notice. I hope that it wasn't too much of an inconvenience for Molly."

Arthur felt the false smile become a real one. "Not at all. Not at all."

A voice called out from the kitchen. "Don't you dare apologize, Albus. Come in, already. Dinner's almost ready"

"Thank you for having us, Arthur." Amelia stated simply, ducking her head in appreciation.

Not sure of exactly how to respond, Arthur smiled in return and gestured to the kitchen, which also housed the dining room table… the only room that was available besides the primary living room with enough space for the table to fit comfortably. He moved to trail the three guests after they had all passed through the doorway. _What is going on?_

Back in the kitchen, Arthur felt his spirits rise at the look on Molly's face. Oh, she was definitely in her element, guests for dinner. He noted that Amelia and Paul were already seated at the table, surprised looks plastered on their faces at having easily fallen under his wife's tyrannical care, each of them holding cups of tea in their hands. He smiled at the surprise when he saw that Albus was sucking on his finger, being admonished already by spoon-wielding Molly for daring to taste a part of the upcoming dinner. It reminded him so much of how Ron was usually also in a similar pose whenever he was home from school.

Gliding closer to his wife, he gingerly found a way to inset himself between the two before the Headmaster could experience the full brunt of his wife's tantrum. There would be plenty of that later.

"Albus," he spoke smoothly, surprising himself that his voice was calm. "Why don't you go ahead and have a seat. Let Molly put the food on the table."

It had been a request, but he was still gratified to see the old man make a sweeping courtly bow to his wife, who flushed like a school girl, before the Headmaster complied.

The next half-hour progressed quickly… far too quickly for Arthur's sake, as everyone quickly had heaping plates of food plied in front of them. Molly, completely in her element, waited on everyone, making sure that a glass never sat needing refilled, nor a plate went long without a second and a third helping being piled higher and higher, all in-between light conversation. Arthur himself felt well stuffed, after all three guests finally, painfully, declined even more helpings.

_It was time to talk._ Arthur could see it in the weighted eyes of the leader of the Order. Dumbledore's trademark twinkle was noticeably absent, even under such warm surroundings. _No. Even he expected it was definitely not going to be a good evening._

Everyone had adjourned to the living room; the lights low for such an intimate talk with trusted friends and colleagues. Molly had made immediate excuses to begin clearing the table, the usual standard for gracefully stepping out of the private talks that she knew her husband often had to go through, even after regular office hours at the Ministry. Arthur smiled, almost apologetically, towards his wife at her surprise when Dumbledore asked for her to leave the kitchen for later and to join everyone in the other room to talk.

Arthur ignored the momentary flicker of worry that crossed his wife's face, trepidation for the fallout that had to come, leaving him feeling both deaf and blind to a way to offer comfort. _After all, wasn't he too in on the conspiracy that had led to the talk this evening?_ He had read the letters from Hogwarts. He had felt his world drop on seeing first the missives from Fred and George, almost immediately followed by Ron, that all spoke of Ginny's infatuation with some strange boy that had mysteriously arrived at the school. Worse were the letters from Ginny, her letters filled with schoolgirl crushes and innocent questions to her mother for advice on what to do.

Once every one was comfortably seated, mugs of tea and small plates of dinner cakes in everyone's' possession, Molly had gingerly sat on the edge of the couch, her hand seeking out his, preparing for the worst.

Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, guardian of the light, the wizard that had, in many wizards' opinion, that had single-handedly saved the word from the Dark Wizard Grindelwald, sat with a look of… _Fear? Worry?_ …over what he was about to say. The long-bearded wizard glanced about the room nervously, Arthur observed, before his eyes finally set upon Molly.

"Let me begin by saying that what you are about to be told is one of the most carefully guarded secrets that we currently have." At his words, Molly sat up straighter and waited. "It was with great reluctance… as well as over the many objections of your husband that we have waited to include you into our confidence, but we had to know if there was a chance of success before allowing the news to break."

Arthur smiled kindly to his wife, who was now staring at him, her eyes searching. He hoped that he had kept his face passive… apparently succeeding, as Molly turned to look back at the Headmaster as he began speaking again.

"Too many already knew of what we planned… many that I had even considered mind charming, as I had no way of insuring their loyalty or confidence into this matter. But even that would not have worked for long, as the news will break soon."

"Albus…?"

Molly had tried to ask a question, but was forestalled as Dumbledore held his hand up for her to wait. "Nearly a month back, the Daily Prophet ran a story regarding an encounter with many of Voldemort's followers… most of whom were either killed or apprehended, but to great cost to the Ministry, specifically the Auror division."

At this point, Amelia Bones leaned forward. "We tried to keep secret that Sirius Black had also been apprehended. If that juicy little tidbit had been contained, there might have been a chance, no matter how remote, to capturing Lupin and Pettigrew, as well. At least, that was the general thought of many involved at the time."

"Damn that Rita Skeeter woman." Paul exclaimed quietly.

Arthur watched as Molly shot a disapproving frown at the man for using such language in front of her, before moving her questioning gaze back to Albus and Amelia. "I'm not sure what you mean…"

"No." Arthur sighed as he joined in the conversation. "What the Ministry… especially the Order, was able to keep from being leaked was that there had been someone else taken during the raid."

Once he knew that he had his wife's full attention, he shot a look to the leader of their Order. At the elderly man's nod, Arthur continued on. "Harry Potter was found. Alive."

Molly's hands moved immediately to cover her mouth, shock clearly painted across her beautiful features, as her eyes drove directly into Arthur's soul. "They found him? He's alive? Unhurt?"

Albus took a sip of his tea. "But for an unusual scar across his forehead, he is perfectly well. Physically."

"He's okay?"

At his nod, Molly immediately turned her attention to the other three in the room.

"But why is this being kept quiet? Surely the boy must be relieved at having been rescued. This is cause for celebration!"

Albus Dumbledore was already shaking his head. "Molly. Dearest Molly. I wish that things were so simple as that."

"Why? What's wrong?" Her expression became even more animated. "He's not a dark wizard, like Black is he? Surely not. I'll not believe such talk. Not the child of James and Lily Potter…"

"No. No." Amelia was trying to calm his wife down. "Nothing of the sort… not that we believe, anyway."

"Then what?"

The old wizard set his teacup down and leaned forward in his chair. "Molly. Harry told us many interesting things after his capture. Tales that changed the foundation of everything we have believed these long fourteen years."

"But there was so many things…" Arthur pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "We needed time to verify what we were being told. To find ways to confirm that Black and Lupin were protecting Harry… keeping him safe from those that had pledged themselves to bringing about You-Know-Who's utter downfall."

"What!" Molly pulled her hand away from him. "Protecting him from who? From us? From the Order? But all we have ever wanted was to insure that You-Know-Who was defeated. To keep poor Harry safe after what those men did to his parents."

Molly looked shaken. "But he claims that the traitors were protecting him? They've filled his mind with lies. Twisted the truth."

Dumbledore's eyes looked even wearier than when he'd first arrived. "That is the general consensus of the Ministry. Fudge and Umbridge and too many others. But in the weeks since we've had Harry, much of his story… and Sirius Black's, have turned up true. I fear that we have greatly underestimated the extent of Voldemort's web of corruption and control, even before his recent triumph and resurrection."

"But we destroyed Flamel's stone!" Molly seemed almost to be pleading. Arthur tried to lay a comforting arm over his wife's shoulder, but she moved from his touch. "The unicorn herds were moved for safety. Severus even discovered Quirrell's duplicity…"

Amelia and Paul nodded, while Dumbledore stood and began pacing, a sure indicator and sign of his nerves. "Darkest magic occurred at Little Hangleton. We struck a blow, many of his servants are now in Azkaban, but we were too late to stop Voldemort's return."

"But Harry…"

"Yes." Albus smiled at Molly. "With Harry returned, all of the old prophecies we thought proven false are now potentially true, once more. The Order is alive with activity, preparations are underway even as we speak to keep Harry safe and properly guided."

Molly's eyes shrewdly narrowed as she watched the Headmaster. "Why are you telling me this? Now? What has happened?"

Albus looked at him. Arthur tried to shake his head, afraid to carry the story, but Molly had seen the look and now stared directly at him. He tried to avoid her eyes, but her hand brought his gaze directly into hers. "Tell me, Arthur."

Arthur took a breath. _Time for the storm._ "Harry is at Hogwarts. Has been at Hogwarts… since the beginning of term."

His wife's eyes barely flickered as he watched the information run through her brain. Finally, she shook her head, the corners of her lips turned down. "No. Everyone would know. Ginny. Ron and the twins. They'd all be talking about Harry Potter being at the school. Especially Ron and Ginny… they loved the story of the Boy-Who-Vanished."

"They would…" Arthur silently encouraged her wanting her to put it together rather than saying it himself.

Molly turned and studied the others in the room, her gaze going to each, who all kept their faces blank, revealing nothing. After what seemed an eternity, Molly suddenly was standing, her arms at her sides. "Brightwing? The boy my daughter and her friend have been pining over since the beginning of school?"

Albus met her wrath, allowing her words to wash over him…. But Molly had only just begun. "You've let a boy raised by Death Eaters… bound by prophecy to have to face Him… that you yourself have admitted to not completely trusting, of understanding his motives… he is where my children are!

"He's the one my Ginny is so close to? "

Arthur had but a moment to blink before his head cracked to the side, the sting of Molly's hand across his face. "And you've kept this from me?"

"Molly…" Amelia stood, the teacup falling forgotten to the carpet. She took a step forward, but Arthur watched as Dumbledore held out a hand to keep her back, a stern glance to Paul keeping him in his seat. But Molly was not intimidated by the powerful wizard.

Arthur felt a stab of pride as he massaged his reddening cheek at Molly's audacity. "I am pulling all three of my children out of that... .that… that school of yours this instant. I will not endanger my children for one of your hair brained schemes."

Turning to move to the desk pushed into a corner of the room, Molly reached for parchment. "I'll owl them immediately. Get them home. They'll be safe here…"

"Molly Weasley!" Dumbledore shouted, his voice filling the room. Even Arthur stopped watching his wife and gave his full attention to the Headmaster.

Molly turned, though reluctant, and stared defiantly at the wizard. "I will not be persuaded…"

Albus was no longer the graying grandfather, but now stood as the Head of the Order of the Phoenix, the Bane of the Dark. "Do you understand what is at stake? Do you realize what it is we're doing here?"

His wife blushed like a child caught with her hand in a cookie jar, as the Headmaster continued on. "We tell you Harry Potter is alive and all you can do is stumble over yourself to want to protect him. We tell you that he is at the school… under the Order's careful eye, under MY care, and you scream of the danger and of his darkness."

"Albus. Please, I just…"

"We are at war." His voice was like a slap to everyone in the room. "Voldemort has risen… returned. The dark days could come again. And prophecy tells us that there is but one wizard in all the world with the capability of standing a chance of preserving the light. Harry Potter."

"But, Albus…"

"And Harry Potter trusts none of us, will listen to none of us." His voice calmed, Arthur noted thankfully. "He has trained to be a weapon by two of the best duelists to ever come out of Hogwarts, but one that we have no assurances or trust will go where he is needed."

"Albus…"

"He has no ties to us. Nothing. If we give him a chance, he will be back with Sirius and Lupin without a thought to us or to the rest of our world. I have even been forced to use dubious means of keeping him at that school… anything and everything must be done to have Harry Potter with us."

Arthur stood and went to his wife. Silently, he cursed Dumbledore for what he was doing as Molly turned her tear streaked face into his shirt. _It had to be done._ Shooting a silent look at the old man over her head, he whispered to her. "Harry must find a reason to believe that we are worth saving… that we can and will help him in the days to come."

"But Ginny…"

He soothed his heartbroken wife, running his hand along her back. "He needs friends, Molly. He must see that there are those that will believe in him."

Tilting his wife's head to look at him, he smiled. Dumbledore's voice seemed to come from everywhere. "And who else but the daughter of Molly Wesley could prove that more to life can be found than fighting and running?"

Arthur noted that the other three in the room all held their breath as the two of them talked silently. "But Ginny could be in so much danger. Arthur. Our daughter…"

He nodded, a weight that he had carried for weeks on his heart lifting slightly, finally able to share his own worry over what was happening at the school. "We'll make sure she's safe."

At his words, Albus and Amelia both nodded, though it was the silent Paul Whittington that spoke. "From the reports that we have, Harry Potter… 'Brightwing' at the school, has already taken a position as protector for Ginny and her friends. He's even faced off her brothers… something no one else that has ever shown interest in Ginny has ever accomplished."

Molly looked at Albus. "Does she know?"

The Headmaster shook his head, his beard swaying from side to side with the movement. "I am confident with the right… push, he will take them all into his confidence soon enough. I hope he trusts her… all of them, before the truth is finally leaked."

"Is that wise, Albus?" Molly asked, her voice breaking only a bit.

He nodded solemnly. "It is _very_ necessary."

Trying to put on a brave face, Molly wiped at her tear-streaked cheeks as she looked over at Amelia. "Is he at least cute?"


	8. Pranks, Talking & Questions

_DISCLAIMER: This is all owned by J.K. Rowling. I'm just borrowing it all for my own (and yours, I hope) fun._

_A/N: Thank you to everyone that has been reviewing. A lot of great questions so far… things will be answered, though maybe a bit slower than what many of you might like. I like the build up. And, yes… Remus will eventually show up… _eventually_ being the key word._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER SEVEN – PRANKS, TALKING & QUESTIONS

"You look like you've got the measles." Hermione's voice called from somewhere behind him.

Harry closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened his eyes, he hoped that what he knew was going to be staring at him in the mirror would be different, but no such luck. _Red welts covered almost every inch of skin. At least they don't itch. Not yet, anyway._

It took all of his willpower not to just toss off this calm persona and just go hunting for Fred and George Weasley, to teach them to leave him alone. _Definitely need to count to ten again._ Years of training with Moony and Padfoot had definitely taught him a wide array of hexes and curses… the idea of taking on two pranksters would be almost too easy. _Not even worth the effort to lift his wand._

_No. He would continue this… charade… this act of being the good little wizard that Dumbledore and the rest off his jailors wanted._

Tugging at the collar of his shirt, Harry turned and glanced at the brown-haired girl, trying to ignore the look of sympathy that he saw visible in her eyes. "Measles? Had those when I was four. Moony got a hold of a charm to get them to go away hours after they started. Madam Pomfrey already examined me… said that this wasn't a Muggle disease."

"What did she think it was?"

He snorted. "No idea. I'd actually be impressed with the two gits if it wasn't me that they practiced on."

Hermione smiled in sympathy at his obvious discomfort and walked over, her hands slapping his away from his shirt so that she could help wipe off the excess cream that he'd managed to get almost everywhere. He smiled as she held her tongue between her teeth, so intent on helping him look presentable for this afternoon's Defense Against the Dark Arts class with Professor Shacklebolt.

_Professor'd probably give me more detention for letting my guard down again._ Sighing, he tried to stand still gracefully. He must have moved, because Hermione shot him an exasperated look before grabbing a cloth and wiping her hands.

"What is this stuff?"

"No clue." He shrugged. "Too scared to ask. Probably fairy shite or some such."

"Language." Hermione admonished.

Harry wrinkled his nose at her. "Did you get all of it?"

"I think that's about it." She finally said.

Glancing back at the mirror one last time, Harry grimaced. The clothes looked fine. He, on the other hand, looked horrible. He turned to look at Hermione, but paused with his thanks at the look on her face. There was definitely a question in her eyes. Tilting his head, he looked down at himself before looking back at her. "What?" He finally asked.

"Who's Moony?"

Harry stood rigid. _Did I say Moony?_ "What do you mean?"

She looked uncomfortable. "You said 'Moony.' When you were talking about the measles." She explained. "I just wanted to know who Moony is."

He sighed. "Moony is the… nickname of one of my uncles. One of the men who raised me."

Hermione's eyes held him. "And Padfoot?"

Harry turned away from her, his mind racing. He tried looking at the mirror, but he could clearly see his friend's gaze catching his in the reflection. "Brightwing?"

He looked down at himself, his hand brushing away some imaginary piece of lint or something, his mind racing. Finally, he decided to just give up on the deception… _some of the deception, anyway._ Still not looking at her, he felt the words begin. "Padfoot and Moony raised me."

At the silence that overcame him, he glanced up to see Hermione still watching him, waiting.

"When I was little… very little, I had to live with my two uncles, though they're really not my uncles."

"Oh. An alternative couple?" At Harry's apparent lack of understanding, Hermione smiled, her look encouraging. "They were gay?"

At the absurd thought, Harry couldn't help but to begin guffawing. He held his sides as the laughter poured out of him, a suddenly release to the misery of the latest Weasley hex and Malfoy taunts. _Padfoot? And Moony? Poofters?_ The image of those two locked in a passionate embrace sent another round of, well, giggles. Harry felt tears beginning to well up in his eyes, trailing down his face, as he tried to reassert some control.

"What is so funny?"

Harry turned to look at Hermione, who stood there, her right eyebrow quirked high on her forehead, a serious look on her face. It was just too much. Harry felt another round of laughter bubbling out. _Priceless. I'm gonna have'ta tell them both. That would be the ultimate prank! Raised by a gay couple…_

But the thought of telling them… maybe an impossibility for a long, long time, slowly sobered his mirth_. Where is Remus, anyway? Does he even know where I am?_

"Brightwing?" Hermione's voice cut into his train of thoughts, bringing him back to the deserted girls bathroom on the second floor that was avoided. Luna had confided in him earlier that an obnoxious ghost by the name of Moaning Myrtle haunted the lavatory for several years.

Harry wiped the remaining wetness from his eyes and looked at his friend. "Sorry."

She was all but tapping her foot. Harry cleared his throat and smiled apologetically. "It was…" He felt a grin threaten. "No. Padfoot and Moony are definitely not like that."

"Oh. Sorry."

He waved his hand. "The idea… I can't wait to tell them."

Hermione finally smiled, although hesitantly. "So… your uncles cared for you?"

At his nod, Hermione moved over to throw the washcloth she had been holding into one of the sinks. "What about your parents?"

Harry shrugged, his face calm. "They… well, they died when I was little. My uncles wanted to make sure that I was safe, so they took me in, raised me."

He ran his hand along the back of his neck, the raised bumps from his artificial malady feeling rough. He watched as Hermione looked thoughtful… a very dangerous look from her, as he had never met anyone so… intuitive or clever, and that included his guardians.

"You don't talk about them. Hardly at all. Not your family… none of your past." He watched as she refused to meet his gaze, her voice echoing off of the stone walls. "I just… we just… Cedric and Neville and Ginny, of course… we want to know more about you. It's hard sometimes, trying to get you to talk."

Harry walked past Hermione and sat down on the floor, his back to the wall. When the girl turned to watch, he patted the floor next to him, indicating that he wanted her close. Once both were sitting, he turned to her, his voice soft.

"I haven't been… happy, most my life." As she opened her mouth, Harry put his finger up for her to wait. "I don't mean I was beaten or abused. My uncles, Moony and Padfoot, they love me, and I love them. They taught me everything I know.

"We moved around a lot, neither of them had much money. In fact," Harry snorted. "We were broke. You hear Ginny talk about life at the Burrows… sounds like a palace to me. She talks about having to wear her brothers' clothes… we didn't really even have that much. And I can't imagine a home to actually call my own."

"Brightwing…"

"No. Let me finish." Harry leaned his head back against the wall, his eyes closed. "There were lots of odd jobs, money was either readily available for us or we went without. Well… that's not true. They'd go without. Both of 'em made sure I was always fed and clothed. They treated me like I was their everything… so I've done everything I can to make 'em both proud of me."

"You don't send owls to them."

"I don't own an owl."

She huffed. "You could use some of the school's owls for messages home."

_Sure. That would go over well._ He was already shaking his head, his eyes still closed. "With me here, now. Well…I know about where Padfoot is, but not enough to get a message to him. Moony is somewhere else. I have to wait for him to get word to me first."

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Till then, I can't do much but wait."

"But… I don't understand. They sound wonderful, even without the money. You're so quiet about them."

Turning, he opened his eyes and looked into her dark blue ones. "We were always alone. Apart from everyone else. Just the three of us. We never really talked with anyone else or did much outside of me and my uncles. Just them… teaching me stuff, I guess. You're wanting me to talk about something that I have never, never talked about before."

Hermione's eyes seemed to glass over. It took Harry a moment to realize that the threat of tears was now looming. Shaking his head, he reached up and tapped her nose playfully. "When the moment is right, I'll tell you… all of you, everything." Silently, he added, _and then you can leave me to be alone again_.

She wrinkled her nose at his playfulness and shook her head. Harry was glad to see that her eyes were drying up, with only a hint of red to them to betray the earlier show of emotion. "We're gonna be late for class, you know."

Harry smiled. "Maybe we can just skip it and sit here."

He knew his eyes widened comically, as Hermione tilted her head. "Okay. But just this once… and for you."

_Hermione Jane Granger, bane of pop quizzes and grading curves everywhere, skipping a class for me?_ Harry wondered. _The end of civilization is over, as we know it. _Aloud, he leaned closer. "Thanks."

She grinned mischievously. "Hey. What are friends for?"

Harry smiled back. "So… what else should we talk about?"

"I can ask you questions… things that… uhm… that… well… we've always wanted to know…"

He considered her carefully. She seemed so sincere in wanting into his life… to know about him. Ginny's earlier conversation reminded him of the girl's possible infatuation with him… but he and Hermione had talked some about that already. _Maybe it wouldn't hurt to open up a little bit…_

Harry grinned and acted like he hadn't noticed. "So, is this gonna be like twenty questions?"

The brown-haired girl began twirling the ends of her hair around her fingers. "Do you promise to answer truthfully?"

Keeping his face solemn, he lifted his right hand into the air. "I will tell nothing but the truth."

"Really?"

Harry nodded. "Yes, but on the condition that I can refuse one or two… but you get those questions back."

"So, I get twenty honest answers." She looked at him carefully. "What do you get?"

Harry shrugged. "How bout next time we play, I get to ask the questions."

He could tell she liked the idea. "Deal."

"Deal." He quickly held out his hand, which she shook. "Okay… first question."

He watched as Hermione grinned. "Well… how about the scar on your forehead."

"What scar?" Harry asked, his voice teasing.

Hermione popped him on the shoulder. "Prat. Seriously. I've never seen or even heard of anything like it." Her hand hesitantly went up to touch it. Harry was still for her as the cool skin of her finger traced along the lightning bolt-shaped mark. "I've always wondered…"

He smiled at the touch. "I don't know. I asked my uncles about it, but they never really understood it either. I think I got it before they took me in…" _That's the truth, if not all of it._

She suddenly pulled her hand back, her face flushing momentarily. Harry kept his face blank. She leaned back, her face scrunched up in concentration. "Oh. When's your birthday?"

"July thirty-first."

"What were your parents' names?"

Harry shook his head. "Pass."

Hermione grimaced. "Pass? Already?"

Harry shrugged. "There are going to be things I want to keep private. For now." He quickly added as her face began to fall. "Come one. Eighteen to go… unless you want to give them up?"

"Not a chance." Hermione retorted. "How about some of the places you've lived?"

He took a breath. "England, of course. France was the last. Before that was Germany. I think we were in China for a while. Somewhere Oriental."

"Really? All of those places?"

"Yeah. Egypt. Greece. Oh, and the United States, too. Didn't care for it, though." He smiled sadly at the memories. "Padfoot hates sting still. He liked traveling. Moony, on the other hand, wanted to find a place to stay. He didn't like being in different places all of the time."

"Ever had a girlfriend?"

Harry pursed his lips and shook his head. "Nope."

"Do you want one?"

He glanced over at her from the corner of his eye. "Hermione…."

At her look, he sighed. "Eventually, I think I might."

"A boyfriend?"

At the question, Harry slapped at her playfully. "You got me. My hidden secret. I want Draco Malfoy." Raising his voice falsetto, he blinked rapidly at Hermione. "That hair. Those eyes. That callous smirk. How can any boy resist?"

Hermione was laughing hard. Harry joined in with her, glad that they were skipping class.

Once she'd stopped giggling, she leaned back. "Don't do that ever again."

"Okay. But you can't tell anyone I said that."

"I don't know…" She grinned mischievously. "You two would make a striking pair."

Harry mock shuddered. At his look, Hermione smiled. "Consider you secret fantasies safe."

Harry started counting on his fingers. "Okay. Six down, Fourteen to go."

"Do you like being here at Hogwarts?"

Harry looked down at his hands; idly he began scratching at some of the welts. "Sometimes. I miss Padfoot and Moony. That was my life. But it's nice here, too. I like all of you. Neville. Cedric and Cho. You and Ginny." He twisted his lips. "Now if I could just win over Ginny's brothers."

"Does it bother you?" At his look, she tilted her head to the left. "I mean, that Ron and the twins are so against you?"

"Seriously? I guess. Partly, I just don't really understand. I get the wanting to keep her safe. She's their baby sister… but I'm not out to hurt her… any of you. I just wish they'd get this out of their system."

"How many do I have left?"

Harry smirked. "Well, by answering that one, you have eleven left."

She stuck her tongue out at him. "What about your magic. I know that your uncles taught you, but you've never been to a school before?"

He shook his head. "Nope. Padfoot and Re… Moony… They taught me everything from reading and writing to how to pick up girls and make them mine."

"What?"

Harry laughed. "Padfoot thinks he's the real ladies man."

"What are you afraid of?"

Harry went still, turning to look at her. "What?"

Hermione smiled. "Last year, we had to face Boggarts in Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione giggled. "Ron is afraid of spiders. I was wondering what you'd see."

"I don't know. Being alone, maybe."

She grew quiet at his answer, her eyes softening. "Getting back to girlfriends…"

"I told you already, I've never had a girlfriend."

"I know… but if you could have anyone in the school…" Hermione's eyes became intense. "Do you like fancy anyone here?"

"There are lots of girls here, Hermione. I'm sure eventually I'll find someone." _Nice evasion._

"But surely you have some idea." When Harry just shrugged, she became thoughtful. "What first attracts you to a girl?"

He grew thoughtful. _What do I look for?_ Sighing, he leaned forward, his hands on his knees. "A pretty smile. Someone happy… someone that people want to be around, I guess."

"Do you think Ginny's pretty?"

Harry considered for a moment. _She's just not going to let this go. Fine._ "No."

"What?" Hermione jumped.

Harry smirked as he looked over at her. "Is that one of your questions?"

"What? Wait. No." She sat there for a moment. "Why not?"

"Why not what?"

"Why don't you think she's pretty?"

"Who?"

"Ginny." Hermione almost yelled, her voice rebounding back at them in the empty bathroom.

"Oh." Harry answered airily. "Pretty is too plain a word. She's too beautiful to be called pretty."

Hermione smiled like a cat with a caught canary. "Really?"

"Is that a question?"

She paused for just a moment. "Yes."

"Yeah. Really."

"And Luna?"

"'And Luna' what?"

Hermione let out an exasperated sigh. "Brightwing."

He grinned. "In a game of twenty questions, you have to be specific. You of all people should know that."

She nodded. "Fine. Do you think Luna is pretty? Or beautiful?"

Harry decided to be merciful since that was technically two questions, but he took it as just one. "Yes."

"Do you fancy one of them?"

He leaned back, stretching theatrically, taking his time to put his arms behind his head, a satisfied smile across his lips. "Sorry. You ran out of questions."

"What?" Hermione's eyes went round. "No. I've got more questions."

Harry just grinned.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

He smiled at the thought of him and Hermione having pretty much goofing off the afternoon classes away. Hermione had come up with the brilliant idea to go back to the infirmary, complaining of the welts, which had earned them both excuses for missing out on all their classes… which had really only been a bonus, as Madam Pomfrey had eventually come across a way to get the welts to go away… so it was a very healthy looking Brightwing that walked with his friend down the hallway.

At dinner, Harry watched as Ginny and Neville's faces shot up as soon as he and Hermione entered the Great Hall. They remained patient as the two of them moved over to their regular seats, and quickly started piling food onto their plates. Hermione shared a glance with him, before they both tore into the roasted fowl, completely ignoring the questioning gazes their friends were giving them.

"Where have the two of you been?" Neville said that both of you missed DADA." Ginny spoke first, the silence drawn out for as long as she could apparently stand it.

"Two minutes, and Ginny first. I won."

Harry hung his head and looked accusingly at Neville. "You always speak up first. How could you do this to me?"

Ginny and Neville looked at one another before returning to look at him and Hermione. Ginny's face turned red, as she narrowed her eyes at the brunette sitting across from her. "Won? Won what?"

Hermione tilted her head as she appraised the younger girl. "The bet of course, silly."

Neville, sitting next to Harry, leaned forward. "What bet?"

Harry mock grimaced at his friend. "On which one of you would break the silence and ask first." Harry leaned over and put his hand on the other boy's shoulder. "You couldn't let your curiosity win out and say something before Ginny? I was depending on you."

Neville's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Tough luck t-there, mate. Guess you chose wrong."

"But you always talk first."

Harry smiled as Neville started shaking his head. "Not really. I usually only speak up first when one of the others pushes me to."

"What?" Harry asked.

Neville started smiling, his eyes dancing. "I think you got one p-pulled on you. Hermione usually is the one that gets me to ask things first… and if she's the one that made the bet, then she got the best of you. Twice."

Outraged at Hermione's cunningness, Harry jerked his gaze accusingly towards her, a flurry of choice phrases on his lips. He never got the chance, however, as he quickly took in the scene. Apparently, while he and Neville had been talking, she and Ginny had been, as well. He had no idea at what had been said, but it must have been something.

Hermione looked smug, her eyes alight with what Harry would have almost called victory… but it was Ginny's expression that confused him. Her normally pale, freckled complexion was red… deep in a blush. When she noticed Harry looking at her, her skin went an even darker shade, to which she eventually turned back to her forgotten dinner and began eating, allowing a curtain of her hair to hide her face, much as it had when they'd first met on the train.

Not sure of what had just happened, he rotated his gaze over to Hermione. Upon finding herself under his watchful gaze, she unashamedly smiled and lifted her shoulders.

"Uhm, Hermione?" Neville asked, an equally inquiring look on his face to match the one Harry felt must be on his own.

"Yes?" Hermione daintily lifted her fork and began eating.

"What's going on?" Harry asked. _What did I miss?_

Hermione took her time swallowing the bite of food she had in her mouth. Her eyes sparkling in a way to give the Headmaster a run for his money, Harry had to grit his teeth as she ate two more bites and then took a sip of iced pumpkin juice. He was ready to pull his hair out as she then lifted her napkin and dabbed at her lips. As she picked up her fork again, Harry pulled his wand out from his back pocket and began toying with it absently.

She apparently got the implied threat, as she smiled beautifully and looked at him. "What did you ask?"

Ginny was completely ignoring the conversation, her head barely lifting up from the wall of hair that prevented Harry from seeing her face. He would have laughed at how she looked at that moment, more like a female version of her brother, Ron, than from the petite little redhead that he considered one of his closest friends.

Hermione laughed, drawing his attention. "Oh. Nothing. Girl talk. That's all."

"Girl talk?" Neville asked, disbelief easily discernable threaded in his words.

"Ask Ginny." Hermione smiled.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Ask Ginny."

"It was girl talk." Ginny's voice

Harry sighed. _Girl talk?_ Ignoring the questions that burned inside, he decided to finish dinner as quickly as he could.


	9. Shall Set You Free

_A/N: Sorry that this chapter took so long to get out. I have nearly eighteen chapters in all already written, but I let someone look at them and they suggested some changes… so, I'm trying to sort through those. This chapter, as well as a few others a little later on seem a bit forced to me. I hope you like them all. Keep reviewing._

_DISCLAIMER: Who is J.K. Rowling? If you are only experiencing this world from my point of view, you so need to get out more._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER EIGHT – … SHALL SET YOU FREE

"You never did say where you and Brightwing were yesterday afternoon." Ginny stated quietly.

Hermione ignored her friend and continued reading over the parchment she had written for Arthimancy class. Chewing slightly on the end of her quill, she considered redoing the last paragraph, as she felt that she had not covered the necessity of properly adding the number twenty-one into basic equations regarding luck.

_Brightwing would say I'm over thinking it_, she thought to herself. At the thought of the raven-haired boy, Hermione glanced over at her best friend, Ginny Weasley. The look on the poor girl's face was almost enough for her to take pity on the tiny redhead… almost. But it was too much fun to push her buttons. No. Instead, Hermione kept her eyes on her homework assignment, even with her finally deciding it was fine.

Ginny huffed, apparently at being ignored. Hermione just continued to keep her face blank and to let the other girl stew. It was good for Ginny to be on the receiving end every once in a while… especially after how the redhead had teased her unendingly last year when Viktor Krum had asked her to the Yule Ball. _That had been difficult_.

"Well?" Ginny's voice carried. "Now?"

Hermione finally looked up, a false expression of confusion on her face. She glanced into Ginny's eyes. She almost completely broke out in fits of laughter at the forlorn expression that her best friend wore. _Not yet._ Hermione shook her head.

Twisting to her side, Hermione negligently tossed the parchment and quill onto her end table. Both she and Ginny were currently sitting on her bed, trying to ignore the rest of the world. Lavender, Padma and Pavarti were in front of the mirror… again, prattling on about three of the seventh-years that had grabbed their attention this week. _Hermione was just glad that they were leaving Brightwing out of their mad machinations._

Finally, the three left, leaving Ginny and her alone. With a sly grin, Hermione looked over at the girl who was currently reclining at the foot of her bed, tormenting poor Crookshanks. "What did you say to them to get 'em leave Brightwing alone?"

Ginny looked up, her eyes hopeful. "Are we talking now? Homework's done?"

"Yeah." Hermione smiled. "So… what did you do?"

"Who?"

"The twits." Hermione used her pet name for the Patil twins and Lavender Brown.

Ginny blushed prettily as she leaned against one of the corner posts at the foot of Hermione's bed. "Threatened to tell Fred and George that they were gossiping about them."

"Ooohhh." Hermione winced in mock sympathy. "That's fighting dirty. At least it worked…"

Ginny smiled softly. "Kind of. They leave him alone, but now they watch him more often. He's barely alone." Her voice sounded like it was going to break for the boy. "I caught them stalking him yesterday as he stood at one of the windows…"

"At a window?"

Ginny nodded. "Like a painting… he sat so still, his eyes gazing out at the moon."

Hermione smirked. "Maybe he was looking for inspiration for a poem."

The redhead shook her head. "I asked him. He said he was waiting for the full moon."

"That's still days away."

Ginny nodded, then moved to another subject to obviously get away from the memory. "So what about the two of you?" At Hermione's arched eyebrow, Ginny scowled. "You and Brightwing. Yesterday afternoon. Missed classes."

"Oh… that. Nothing much, really."

Ginny moved to pounce. "How 'bout I get to be the judge of that… "

"Really?" Hermione liked keeping Ginny off guard. "Even if I start talking about me having a hold over Brightwing now. I won the bet after all… all thanks to you?"

Not surprised in the least, she watched as Ginny glowed as red as she had in the Great Hall, much to Hermione's amusement. She smiled when her best friend in the world took a moment to pull at her bed gown before turning back to face her. "I can't believe you said that…"

"What? That I'd demand he kiss you in front of the whole school?" She leaned back. "I don't think he'd mind…"

Ginny looked scandalized. "Hermione. You shouldn't play with Brightwing like that… or me either, for that matter." Hermione watched as she took a breath. "I know that you fancy each other…"

_What?_ Hermione almost screamed aloud. She knew that there was no way to keep the surprise off of her face. _Fancy Brightwing? Where would she… well, he is adorably cute… but he's only got eyes for Ginny._

"See?" Ginny said, Hermione only barely catching the sadness layered under her melodious voice. "I think it's wonderful that you two are getting together. You make such a perfect couple." _Wonderful couple? _The redhead had pulled back again. She still smiled, but the sparkle seemed to fade from her eyes.

Hermione grimaced. "Me and Brightwing were not off snogging, no matter what you might think, Gin."

Ginny jumped at the word "snogging."

"I had secrets to tell _you_… things that I thought _you_ might want to know, since it's obviously _you_ that fancies him and _you_ that he might fancy… at least, I thought." Hermione grinned evilly. "But, maybe I can convince him otherwise… make him kiss me in front of the whole school… at breakfast tomorrow in the Great Hall."

"Wait!" Ginny's eyes had gotten bigger and bigger as Hermione had continued on.

Hermione leaned back on her bed pillow, an innocent look on her face. "What?

Ginny was almost panting, she observed. "What secrets?"

Playing absently with a curl of her hair, Hermione shifted to find a better position, especially with Ginny leaning so close. Over the next thirty minutes, she explained to the redhead that she ultimately had her brothers, Fred and George, for the fortuitous chance that had found a way to put the two of them together.

"… and then I offered to try to help with the cream where he couldn't reach."

"What?" Ginny's hands went to her mouth, her ears bright red.

"Not like that, you harlot!" Hermione teased. "Along the back of his neck. The welts were everywhere…"

"I'm going to kill them. Two dead brothers, all for the price of one."

Hermione shook her head. "So, when Brightwing began opening up to me… about Padfoot and Moony…"

"You know who they are?" Ginny looked flabbergasted, her voice thick with envy. "Who are they? Tell me."

"I am, silly." Hermione chuckled. "They're the nicknames for his uncles, the men that raised him."

"Oh." Her eyes narrowed. "I've heard of Padfoot somewhere before, you know."

"Really?"

Ginny nodded solemnly. "I can't for the life of Merlin remember where, but I know I've heard that name before."

Hermione Granger tilted her head as she scratched absently at her elbow. "Don't ask me. All I know is that he's fifteen. Born on July thirty-first. That he's traveled all over the globe…"

"What else?" Ginny was definitely a captive audience her frustration over Brightwing's uncle apparently forgotten.

Uhm. Let's see…" Hermione tapped her finger on her chin, much like Professor Sprout liked to do whenever she was attempting to recall some obscure fact. "I know there was something else… what was it…?"

Ginny cleared her throat at Hermione's obvious ploy.

"Oh, right." Hermione grinned. "And he thought you weren't pretty."

The redhead's face fell. "Oh."

As wetness seemed to fill the corners of her eyes, Hermione felt a stab in her stomach that maybe she'd taken the joke and her friend's obvious feelings for Brightwing a little too far. Before she could even open her mouth to say anything, Ginny just waved her hand between them. "It's fine. Boys don't really go for me… not counting that Ron and the others might run off anyone that considered liking me.

"I mean, I only got to go to the dance last year because Neville took pity on me." Hermione tried to interrupt, but Ginny started to cry. "You and Brightwing m-make a cute couple… and we're all friends…"

"Stop!" Hermione nearly yelled. "Please, I'm sorry… "

"No. It's okay… really." Ginny ran her nose along the edge of her robe's sleeve. "I'm used to being the plain one."

Hermione felt tears of her own begin. "No. Listen. I was only picking at you."

Ginny sniffed, her eyes sad, as she looked up hopefully. "He thinks I'm pretty?"

She grinned slightly. "No… he thinks you're beautiful."

It was all Hermione could do to keep a straight face as the absolute stunning array of emotions that passed across the youngest Weasley's face. There was near suicidal misery, sadness, hopefulness and then absolute "fainting to the floor" shock. She watched as Ginny opened her mouth to say something, but her voice seemed to fail her. Hermione tilted her head, watching as the she started crying again, though for a completely different reason than before.

"Really? He said beautiful?"

Hermione nodded. "His word."

"But…" Ginny's brow narrowed as she looked at Hermione. "Are you okay with that?"

"What?" Hermione laughed out loud. "Why would that bother me?"

Ginny shook her head, confusion now the only emotion that could be discerned. "I know we're friends…"

"Best friends." Hermione amended.

The redhead smiled. "Best friends. But I'm not sure what I would do if I fancied a boy that talked about someone else being beautiful."

Now it was Hermione's turn to be confused. "Well, he did say Luna was nice looking, too."

"What?"

"He said he thought she was…"

"I got that." Ginny started shaking her head. "I'm so sorry, Hermione."

_Sorry? What is she talking about?_ Hermione knew that she must have looked as puzzled as she felt. "Okay. I'm confused."

Ginny was ignoring her. "You must hate us… me. Me, more than anyone. Best friends…."

_Alright. Enough of this_, Hermione growled. Reaching over, Hermione grabbed Ginny's shoulders and began shaking her, trying to get her undivided attention. "Ginny."

"What?" She replied, not even resisting Hermione's grabbing her.

Hermione let her go and tried to lean back, to get comfortable, but suddenly she was unable to relax. Pulling her pillow from behind her, Hermione set it on her pillow and her lap and started fluffing the feathers. Wiping at her eyes and cheeks, knowing that if anyone saw them right now, it would appear like to silly teenage girls were crying over something completely ridiculous…

Shaking her head, Hermione sighed softly. "What are you carrying on about?"

Ginny frowned, her eyes rimmed red. "I know you fancy Brightwing and I…"

"Wait." Hermione interrupted immediately. "You think that _I_ fancy Brightwing?"

At Ginny's nod, Hermione groaned. "Me?"

"Yeah… so, I've been trying to…"

Hermione was rubbing her temples, the beginning of a full on headache on its way. "And you told this to Brightwing?"

At her nod, Hermione was reminded of several off-color phrases that her mother had once scolded her father for uttering in the presence of mixed company. At the time, she'd had no idea what it meant, but being older now, she had a pretty good idea, though she was quite sure that it was anatomically impossible to do. _At least this explains a few things…_

"Are you mad that I told him?" Ginny's voice whispered.

"No." _How do we fix this?_ "I just never really thought about him like that."

"Are you crazy?" Ginny's fire had returned a bit. "All you've ever done since you met him was to talk about him. How cute he was. How nice. How brave and strong, finally someone standing up to Malfoy… not to mention my brothers…"

"But…"

"My turn." Ginny stopped her. "Going on about how bright his eyes were, how intelligent he seems in class."

"Ginn…"

"No." Ginny nearly growled. "I could tell you liked him. I knew you liked him… so, I backed off."

Hermione sighed as she tried to interrupt again; only to have the petite girl shut her up before she could get a word in edgewise. _There was that famous Weasley temper that she always talked about._ She watched her friend without paying attention to anything that she was saying, her hands waving wildly in the air between them as Ginny continued to explain things as she saw it. After a few more moments, Hermione just tuned Ginny out and waited for her to run out of steam_. It had to happen, right? _Eventually, Hermione glanced up to see that Ginny was not saying anything, her eyes waiting expectantly. At seeing her come back to attention, Ginny smirked. "Well?"

"Oh. Is it my turn now?"

Ginny's neck turned red, but she didn't back down. _Good_, Hermione thought. _Let's see how she takes it now_. "You understand that while, yes, I think he's absolutely adorable, that I do not fancy him. Right?"

"Wha…?"

Hermione grinned mischievously. "Sure, he's fun to flirt with, but we're just friends. I think he really needs that, and that's a spot I'm more than willing to fill."

"But why…?"

"Why was I always going on about him? I was trying to get _your_ reactions. See if maybe you liked him, you silly goose." Ginny's eyes went wide and her face pale at her words. Hermione just nodded. "Yep.

"That doesn't mean…"

Hermione felt like screaming at the girl. "Ginny. Have you not been listening? I. Do. Not. Fancy. Him. Period. You like him. I'm pretty sure that he does very much like you."

"But I saw the two of you in front of the fire that night and…" Ginny tried to fight, but Hermione had had enough.

"If you say one more thing to interrupt me, by Merlin's pointy purple hat, I'll make you regret it until you head home for the holidays. Got it?"

Ginny nodded silently.

Hermione leaned back. "Well, we've certainly made a mess of things, haven't we? No. Don't answer. You've been trying to set me and him up together, while I've been doing the same but for you. No wonder he acted like that, that smarmy git. If he'd only said something…"

"Can I speak without getting cursed?" Ginny's voice was so tiny. At Hermione's silent assent, she leaned closer. "If we were both acting like that, maybe he was scared to mess up the friendship."

_I'm an idiot!_ "You're brilliant, Ginny." Hermione felt like beating herself over the head with a book, preferably a very thick one. "He talked about that. About how this was all still so different. He's used to being alone…"

Ginny's eyebrows went up. "But he's so… just, gorgeous. Those eyes. And his mouth…"

"Enough." Hermione interrupted. "Have the boy snogging fantasies in your own bed… or maybe that'd be too tempting. I think you'd best just go take the cold shower now."

She watched as Ginny blushed almost as bright as her hair. Hermione leaned back, her fists pounding lightly into the pillow still resting between them her mind turning a mile per minute. "I'd say we could trap him… I mean, we know that he likes you… and we _now_ both understand that it is _you_ that fancies _him_…

"Maybe you should just grab him and pull him into a broom closet."

The redhead smiled, but was shaking her head. "When I thought that it should be the two of you together, I kinda bit into him about not talking to us… about his past and things. That you deserved the truth about everything before turning it into something more."

"Really?"

Ginny shrugged, her face drooping slightly. "I like him. I really do… and I'm glad some boy isn't going to come between us."

"No matter how cute?" Hermione asked sarcastically.

At Ginny's nod, Hermione considered. "We just need him to open up. Once that happens..."

Ginny smiled, her grin almost predatory. "Then we pounce."

Hermione grinned. "We? I think you mean you."

"Yeah." She smiled. "That works, too."

"But how?"

Ginny's eyes suddenly glowed. "I have a great idea."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Hermione blew at another strand of hair that had fallen in her face as she continued to stare at book currently sitting in her lap. With disgust, she set the book on the library table and leaned her head back, her hands pushing at her hair, trying to get it to somehow stay out of her face while she was researching.

Taking a moment to yawn, her eyes glanced across the table where Luna Lovegood was absently twirling a piece of paper around and around on the table under her finger. Hermione grimaced as she considered the beautiful… but crazy. Never forget crazy… young blonde and her carefree attitude.

"You and Ginny okay now?" Luna said suddenly into the quiet, her eyes never leaving the spinning parchment.

Hermione looked around to see who was near them. Seeing that he coast was clear, she smiled hesitantly to the other girl. "Sure. Why? Was Ginny upset about something?"

The paper stopped spinning as pale blue eyes looked directly at Hermione. "Since you were both going on about Brightwing…. And now you're down here in the library without her. You two always did things together, together until Brightwing."

"We've done things separately."

Luna nodded. "If you say so."

Hermione huffed. _Silly Loony Luna._ As she picked up her book to start reading again, Luna started tapping her fingers along the hard surface of the table, keeping the beat to some tune that only she could hear. Closing her eyes, Hermione tried some of the breathing exercises her parents learned back in their yoga days, trying to find her calm center.

"Luna." Hermione hissed. "Stop. Please."

The blonde girl smiled apologetically and laid her hand flat on the table. Hermione waited a moment to see what she was going to do… see if she would resume her tapping on the table. After a moment, Hermione smiled thankfully at Luna behaving and reached over to pick her book back up.

Hermione settled back into her chair and found the place where she had left off in the book. For a moment, Hermione was able to read in peace, not even really aware that she was still pushing some wisps of hair back over her ear.

The hair along the back of Hermione's neck started to stand on end. _Someone is staring at me._

Discreetly looking around, she scanned the library to find it was still empty. Her eyes moving over to her friend sitting across from her, Hermione jumped as she found Luna staring at her intently.

"What?" Hermione tried to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

Luna finally blinked as she looked at her. "Do you think Brightwing could be the reincarnation James Potter?"

The book and her being annoyed now completely forgotten, Hermione drew her brow low on her head as she tried to process exactly what the other girl was saying. _Brightwing looks like James Potter? What?_

Luna apparently took Hermione's silence as encouragement to keep talking. "Daddy runs stories about James and Lily Potter all of the time: how they are still alive and being held prisoner on a deserted island by a rogue branch of the Ministry." Luna smiled. "It's the same island that the Horn-backed Triboars live."

Hermione blinked rapidly. "Wait. Luna, what are you going on about?"

"Triboars?" She asked innocently. "They're an endangered species of cow that thrive in cold temperatures and can produce…"

"No." Hermione interrupted. "About Brightwing and James Potter."

Luna stopped and tilted her head unnervingly. "Just that Daddy has lots of pictures of James Potter that he runs in The Quibbler. I think Brightwing could be the reincarnation of him… but that would mean Daddy was wrong about the Triboar habitat off the coast of Antarctica… which Daddy is never wrong about things like that…"

_Could that be it?_ Hermione's brain went into overdrive as she considered everything. _Born on July thirty-first fifteen years ago… parents gone…._

Her hands shot to cover her mouth as she almost let out a scream_. Padfoot? Moony? Uncles that never went by their real name! Could they be two of the three traitors? _

_But it makes sense. Brightwing shows up after the Ministry captured Sirius Black. _

_Professor Dumbledore has to be told. _Hermione froze, only absently catching the bemused look on Luna's face. _He'd have to already know. Almost all of the teachers would be in on it…_

She shook her head, trying to stop the myriad of possibilities and theories that were now running through her head. But it would explain why he's stayed quiet about who he really is, why he was so hard to trust anybody.

_I've got to tell Ginny._ Hermione almost stood up, but a hand reached over and grabbed her shoulder. She looked up to see Luna leaning across the table, concern showing clearly in her blue eyes.

"Luna. Sorry, but I've got to…"

But the blonde girl was shaking her head. "No."

"What?"

"No." She repeated. "Don't betray one trust just to confirm another."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't understand."

"Why wouldn't he reveal himself as the reincarnated soul of James Potter?" Luna smiled, her eyes looking at everything and nothing all at once. "Maybe there's a higher purpose."

"But, Luna…" _Really! How can she be so smart and so… so… loony, all at the same time?_

Hermione opened her mouth to tell Luna that she definitely had to go, when she looked over to see Brightwing… Harry Potter, actually… walking towards them. At his seeing Hermione looking at him, he smiled, his green eyes suddenly sparkling like emeralds.

_How can I say anything?_ Hermione felt her own lips turn up into a smile to match his as Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Vanished, approached.

"Hey, Hermione." He laughed, his eyes twinkling. "Glad I caught up to you. Can you…"

_What will I do?_


	10. A Day as Brightwing

A/N: Look! Another chapter just hours after the last. : smile : I have to go ahead and post some of these chapters before I drive myself crazy. I keep going back and inserting new things rather than moving forward. If I get some responses and reviews, I will most likely put up two more chapters tomorrow. How's that for incentive?

_DISCLAIMER: All hail, J.K. Rowling for her love of nobodies like me being allowed to play with her wonderful creation._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER NINE – A DAY AS BRIGHTWING

Harry quickly moved his hand to cover his mouth as he leaned back in the chair, his eyelids threatening to cut his vision off once and for all if he didn't do something to wake up… and soon. Classes at Hogwarts were so boring. _No._ He amended silently. _The classes actually look like they could be interesting. It's the professors that are boring._

Letting his mind drift, Harry thought back to Padfoot and Moony and the various lengths they would resort to in order to make sure he would pay attention to the lessons they offered.

His entire life, Harry had been told the wonderful stories about his parents. Tales of the Marauders all meeting up in their first year at Hogwarts, all four boys being lucky to be Sorted into Gryffindor. The pranks and jokes that they pulled off right under the noses of the older students and the teaching staff.

_No one could stop them._

Harry blinked back tears… must've _gotten something in my eyes; maybe dust in this old classroom. The Marauders had been everything…. Wizards at the prime of their lives. Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail. Harry wiped at the corner of his eye. _

_Dad and Mum gone. Wormtail turned Death Eater. Moony only Merlin knows where and Padfoot currently locked up by the Ministry. And Brightwing? The unofficial sixth person added to the Marauders_ (his Mum had been the first addition)? _Brightwing was stuck in a boring classroom listening to a boring old man talking about Runes and how important they are._

_I'm actually looking forward to Dark Arts class. Maybe Professor Shacklebolt will give me a break and let me do something besides lose more House points. _

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Are you going to sleep through Defense Against the Dark Arts, too, Brightwing?" Hermione Granger laughed as she walked through the classroom door in front of him.

His earlier melancholy thoughts all but forgotten, Harry smiled along with her as they waved briefly over towards Neville, as well as to a few of the other people situated at the various desks about the room. Normally… _at least, as Hermione and Ginny had explained to him_… classes were usually only filled by one or two Houses at the most, but as fifth year classes at Hogwarts were in preparation for OWLs. This resulted in classes that had an assortment of students from all Houses.

Hermione quickly grabbed the nearest two-man desk, where Harry slid in next to her just as the bell out in the corridor rang. Harry had enough time to set his book bag down beside his chair before Professor Shacklebolt strode into the room from a door on the other side of the room. Closing his eyes, Harry allowed his senses roll over the teacher and Auror, allowing him to take a greater measure of the man… something more than what his eyes alone could see.

What anyone with eyes could see was an older, powerfully built black man. His hair was cut short and his eyes were as dark as his skin. His clothes were modest, but tight fitting… Harry could almost hear Padfoot telling him that the reason for it was to prevent his clothing from possibly getting in the way in cases that movement could mean the difference between winning and losing. The professor's mouth was wide and could easily hold a smile that many of the students considered infectious, but that Harry had come to distrust ever since he'd first been assigned to escort him from his jail cell to the train ride here.

With Harry's eyes closed, however, Kingsley Shacklebolt became less intimidating as a man and more as an obstacle to be overcome. There was no way to judge magical potential… _no way that Harry knew, anyway_… but his _otherly_ senses allowed for a… _vibration, maybe_, that allowed Harry to sense that very magical potential in others.

He grinned as he opened his eyes. Only moments had passed, so not even Hermione sitting next to him had worried at his eyes closing. There had been a time when his ability to gauge whether someone or something was magical or not had overwhelmed him… much like Hogwarts might have done with everything practically being non-Muggle. It had taken a lot of training… mainly from Lupin, much to Padfoot's chagrin at the time, that had eventually taught Harry how to master the unusual gift.

Taking a moment to fondly recall some of those early memories, Harry reached down and pulled out his used copy of the text book, as well as his inkpot and quill… all items provided to him by the school. Situating everything on his desk, he smiled when Hermione mirrored his actions, an exasperated look on her face that he'd beat her in getting ready.

"To those of you pulling out parchment and quill, go ahead and put it back up." The professor spoke once he'd reached his desk, though he had yet to sit down.

Harry glanced ruefully at Hermione as they both put everything back. Apparently, they had been the only two to be prepared for class… which left the others to wait on them. Harry ignored the snickering from Draco and the other Slytherins.

Once back up in his chair, his desk clean, Harry met the cold eyes of the Professor. _Gonna be a good day._

"If we're ready, now…" Harry could see his friend blush next to him at the teacher's words that had been directed to the two of hem. "I've decided that we need more practical applications of proper Defense. Something more than what can be learned from reading in books and writing down on parchment."

Harry ignored the whispers that started to break out throughout the room. Glancing over at Hermione, Harry could tell that she wasn't exactly thrilled with the idea as her face had gone from bright red to nearly white in a matter of moments. She preferred the books, though she didn't come across as bookworm-ish as one might expect. Without even thinking about what he was doing, Harry reached over and put his hand gently on top of hers, offering her what small comfort he could at the moment. He was gratified to see Hermione's quick look at their hands together before she offered him a small smile.

Ronald Weasley had raised his hand. "Professor?"

"Yes, Mr. Weasley?"

"What do you mean by practical applications?"

Harry watched the older man grin, his teeth a stark contrast to the darkness of his skin. "Wonderful question. Let's see if I can answer it to everyone's satisfaction. I had considered a dueling club, but felt that it had been done too many times already, sometimes with disastrous results."

Several students snickered. Kingsley seemed to not hear the interruption and kept talking. "So, instead, I'm going to divide this class up into teams… three or four per group, and let each group attack me. Based upon how well you do… I'll offer credit points towards your overall grade before you take the OWL at the end of the year."

At the pronouncement, the students all around started whispering excitedly. Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Sparing a look for the brunette sitting next to him, Harry raised his hand.

Shacklebolt looked over at him. Harry kept his face blank as the Professor quirked an eyebrow and smiled. "Yes, Mr. Brightwing. You have a question?"

Harry nodded as he returned his hand back to his desk. "Yes, sir. Will this be based on individual success or as a team effort?"

He smiled as the black man's eyebrows seemed to vanish into his hairline. "Such as?"

Harry nodded viciously. "Shouldn't you evaluate each student on a one versus one basis before determining who would be on what team, allowing for a more fair criteria… or do we just pick who we're going to be on teams with and let the chips fall where they may?"

_Merlin, but I love Padfoot and Moony! Paying attention to their bickering had finally paid off_. Shacklebolt looked absolutely flabbergasted. Harry kept a straight face as he glanced over at Hermione, whose eyes could've doubled for plates. Just beyond her, Neville's mouth kept opening and closing in wonder.

Harry spared a quick glance at Malfoy and winked at the boy, who flinched, before looking innocently back at the professor. "Well, sir?"

The former Auror seemed to shake himself out of his momentary stupor and smiled. "I think I'll let each student pick what team they want to be on. I can evaluate the teams and then see how well they progress after that… basing my grade on the improvements that they show over the rest of class and against other teams." He nodded almost imperceptibly at Harry before he moved his gaze around the room. "Any questions?"

"Other teams?" Neville had raised his hand. "I thought there wouldn't be any dueling."

The professor smiled at Harry's friend. "Dueling is classified as honorable combat between two consenting wizards under the Pendragon Rules and Restrictions, last revised in 1952." He let his words sink in before continuing. "Team fighting, such as what I am suggesting, would not be considered dueling. Its war."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

The choosing of teams had taken all of that class that day and much of the next time Harry attended Shacklebolt's class… and many teams had not been completed yet. Word began to spread to many of the other years, which then pushed for their own opportunity for their chance for extra grading. Harry had laughed when Professor Dumbledore had been required to step in… seemed the whole school was up into play war mania.

At the end of the next night, the entire Gryffindor House had been addressed by Professor McGonagall regarding the situation. Seemed that it had been decided that Fifth years and Seventh years were the only ones that had to choose team members from within the DADA class and would be graded and held accountable towards their improvement. All other students could form teams that would then compete… the winning team being able to gain House Points.

It was this fact that was currently causing much of the strife in his life as Brightwing, right now.

Harry leaned back in the chair across from the fire in the common room and ran both hands through his hair, the world going blurry as his glasses slid lower on his nose. Shaking his head in annoyance, he pushed his thick-framed glasses back up tot their rightful spot and stood quickly, his gaze swirling about the room.

"Look!" He exclaimed. "I know that you guys think we're a long shot… but we've got as much chance as anyone in class."

Neville jerked back at Harry's quick movement, his eyes wide. "Mate. S-s-sorry. I was t-talking about the tournament side, not the class."

Hermione nodded quickly. "Class is fine. We do poorly at the beginning, get a bit better, score high." She smiled triumphantly. "The perfect plan."

"And if we do well in the beginning?"

Hermione smiled sadly at him, her head moving back and forth. "Brightwing. We're not fighters. That's why we're in this group. Cedric was the big gun for us… and he's in a different year class. I know you're brave. You're a Gryffindor."

Harry opened his mouth, but she started talking faster. "I know how you handled Ginny's brothers… but this isn't a quick bout with three students. This is us taking on other teams…"

"Teams made up of stronger fighters." Neville smiled.

Hermione nodded. "And an Auror is overseeing it all. Who, in case you've forgotten, is the one we really need to watch out for. He's the one giving out the grades."

"And not just any Auror," Neville interjected. "This is Shacklebolt. He's practically the second-in-command under Bones."

Harry frowned. "You guys don't even want to try?"

"Brightwing. We don't even have our fourth member yet." Hermione grimaced. "Everything anyone is talking about is how a quad works. We need another leg to stand."

"Who's left?"

Hermione scrunched up her nose. "Not many. Michael Corner and Terry Boot signed on with Seamus and Dean this morning at breakfast."

"And Susan Bones and Wayne Hopkins from Hufflepuff got picked up yesterday with Tracey Davis from Slytherin and our own Lavender Brown."

Harry stared at Neville. "A Gryffindor? Working with a Slytherin? On purpose?"

Hermione chuckled at Harry's sarcasm. "It does happen occasionally. I think that group mainly wanted to try working on the Professor's weakness for damsels in distress."

"Might work." Harry smirked lecherously. "They are cute."

All three of them started laughing, when Harry watched as Hermione's eyes started to widen at something happening behind him. Turning his head, he watched as Ginny was in a quiet argument with her brother, Ron. Checking the rest of the common room, Harry was glad that neither Fred nor George seemed to be around, as he stood up from his seat.

"Brightwing…" Hermione grabbed at the sleeve of his robe, but Harry only looked over at his friend and smiled. With a look of concern, she smiled and let the fabric pull gently away from her grip. Striding carefully over to the two redheads, Harry began to immediately pick up on the words that were viciously being thrown at one another.

"… ot goin' to happen, Ginny."

"You are such a git. Why not!"

"I. Do. Not. Like. Him." He crossed his arms. "Good enough?"

"Not by a long shot. Are you just going to fail the class?"

"We… uhm… no. I'll figure something out."

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Why won't you trust him? I do… maybe mo…"

Harry never got to hear what Ginny was going to finish saying, as the petite girl took that moment to catch his approach out of the corner of her eye. He smiled as her cheeks started to flush pink at seeing that he was drawing near to the two of them. Ron observed her embarrassment and scowled at him. Harry only smiled in return, seeing no reason to try and push the youngest Weasley brother too far.

"What do you want? Can't you see me and my sister are talking?"

"Brightwing…" Ginny began, her brown eyes holding his attention. Harry smiled at her and she seemed to rethink whatever she was about to say.

Tearing his gaze from her, Harry turned to look at her brother. "Are you on a team, yet?"

Ron looked outraged. "What's it to you, mate? You looking to join up with me or something?" At Harry's silence, Ron kept darting his gaze to his sister and then back at him. "I don't need you guys at all. I got everything under control."

Harry sighed. "Look. We have three. Shacklebolt says four to a team. If you're alone at the moment, then why not work together?"

"Like I'd want to help you…"

"Ronald!"

Harry reached over and put his hand on Ginny's shoulder. She was staring daggers at her brother, but finally looked over at him. Harry smiled. "You know, Gin, that we wanted you, but you aren't in our year."

She smiled beautifully. "I know. I wish I could help."

"Cheer us on."

Ginny smiled but was shaking her head. "Sorry. I'm already on a team. Me and the wonder couple. Plus, Cedric says a friend of his wants in. We think we can protect ourselves."

The two of them turned to glance at her brother, as he had started making noises as Harry and Ginny had ignored him. Raising his eyebrows, Harry tilted his head. "What?"

Ron ignored him and was looking at his sister. "You're on the team with the Tri-Wizard Champion?"

Ginny took a deep breath. "Ron. You know he's my friend, right?"

"But.. b-but, I thought… I don't… "

Harry grinned. "You're sister's more than just a pretty face, Ron."

Ginny's ears suddenly flamed a deep red, as the girl turned away from him and looked around the room. _How can she not know what she already does to me? _ Shaking his head, Harry looked at Ron. "Hermione and Neville are worried about grades. I am, too, but I'd also like a chance at doing well in this competition. It's the competitor in me." _Besides, if Padfoot or Moony ever learn I didn't do well in a contest, they'd kick me out of the innocent-felons-on-the-run club._

"We won't win." Ron was as bad as Hermione!

"Why not?"

Ron shrugged and looked at Harry. "We're just a thrown together group. Everybody else is playing off of their strengths and putting a team together that can work together."

"So what?" Harry wanted to shout at the boy. At least he's considering it. "What are your strengths? Neville is good at moving. He's had to be quick to dodge a lot of the bullying that seems to go on around here."

Ron now blushed, his eyes falling to the carpet. Harry ignored it and kept on. "Hermione is bloody brilliant. She can find more spells and hexes than anyone. We may not be the strongest, but we can definitely give'em a run."

"And you are great at planning, Ron." Ginny's voice suddenly added back in to the conversation. "I've seen you play chess. Heck, I've never seen you lose but that one time that Bill played you… and you were sick at the time."

Ron grinned at his sister's praise.

Harry looked at Ginny and winked. He felt his lips turning up into a smile at her winking back at him. Movement caught his eye and Harry turned to see that both Neville and Hermione were standing nearby… close enough to hear everything but not so close as to intrude uninvited into he conversation. Harry waved them in.

"And you, Brightwing?" Ron asked after he nodded to the two newcomers. "Unless you're the reincarnation of Merlin himself, we won't have the power to hold any strong attacks from takin' us out."

"Not the reincarnation of Merlin…" Hermione smiled at Harry. Why don't I like that look? "But I think he can match most anything out there."

At the brunette's words, Ron glanced at Hermione before tilting his head at Brightwing. "I'm in, but I think you're all universally mental. We're gonna get smashed over at the beginning."

"This from someone that still thinks that the Cannons have a shot…" Ginny muttered under her breath. Harry couldn't help but grin

Ron shook himself. "Fine." Holding his hand out to Harry. "I'm in."

Hermione and Neville hugged each other quickly and ran out of the common room, yelling something out behind them about going to put their names down on the list outside of Professor Shacklebolt's office. Harry smiled after the two as he shook Ginny's brother's hand.

"But this don't make us mate." Ron smiled as he gripped Harry's hand harder.

Shaking his head, Harry matched the other boy's grip. "Never expected it. We do this as a team. Once its over, we go our separate ways. Deal?"

Ron smiled. "Deal."

As they released their hands, Ron moved over to his sister who seemed in-between smiling and scowling at her brother. "C'mon, sis. Let's go play some snaps or something."

Ginny shook her head as she leaned over closer to Harry. "Sorry. Already promised Brightwing that I'd study with him." She turned and looked at him. "Right, Brightwing?"

He grinned. "Absolutely." Feeling cheeky, Harry put his arm around her and pulled her closer in a one arm hug. Why does this feel right?

Ron, on the other hand, was starting to fume. "Look, just cause we're on a team together don't mean you an manhandle my sister."

"Ron…"

"No, Gin. I'll work with this guy… that makes you happy and, I did need a team. But I'm not going to just… just…"

"Just what, Ron?" Harry sighed. "Do you expect me to throw her down on the ground and ravish her on the common room floor?"

He smiled at Ginny's suddenly tensing up. _Maybe she likes the idea!_ Ron's face looked like a tomato. "What do you think is going on?"

Ron opened his mouth, but closed it again as his eyes darted back and forth. Ginny finally took pity on him and moved out from under Harry's arm. "Look. We're friends. That's it." Harry felt a pang at her words. "We're not off doing who knows what in a cupboard or broom closet."

"Although…"

Ginny turned and stared at Harry, her eyes wide as a slow blush filled her face. "Brightwing!"

He grinned back at her. Holding up his hands in front of him, he fended off any chance of getting hit by the fiery little redhead. "Kidding. Just kidding."

Harry could see the incredulous look on Ron's face. _Maybe he's finally seeing that we are friends… and that I'm not off snogging the breath out of his little sister…_ Harry moved his gaze to Ginny. _Although finding a nice place to snog might not be the most horrible idea I've ever had…_

"Okay. Enough." Ron finally spoke. "I get it." His eyes met Harry's. "You keep your hands off of my sister. We'll find time to work together on setting up a strategy for doing the best that we can in the tournament. Life goes on. We agreed?"

Harry tilted his head. "I'll agree to the tournament and life, but who are you to dictate who I spend time with? Or Ginny, for that matter?"

"Look…"

"No. You look." Harry cut him off. "I have done absolutely nothing to you… or your sister, not that it's any of your business. Back off and then we'll be fine."

He turned away to move back to the couch in front of the fire. He caught a look from Ginny that was somewhere between proud of him for standing up for her to her brother once again, but there was… sadness, maybe… in there, as well. Why is she sad?

"Do you want to study now?"

Ginny flicked her eyes over towards her brother before slowly shaking her head. "I think I'm gonna study in bed tonight… that way, I can just roll over and sleep when I'm done."

Harry nodded as she gave him another unreadable look before wishing them both a goodnight and then turning around to disappear up the stirs into the girls' side of the tower.

Harry watched her go before turning back to Ron. I ought to slap that smug grin off of his face. "You just have to make trouble, don't you?"

"Me?" Ron smiled. "Life was good before you came along. It'll be great again once you're gone."

"I'm not going anywhere."

_Harry started as he listened to the words he'd just spoken. Not going anywhere. What would Moony and Padfoot think?_


	11. Consequences of Failure

_DISCLAIMER: All property below is owned by J.K. Rowling. This is not to be considered in any way a contestation of her creation._

_A/N: Wow! Thank you to everyone that reviewed. Your overwhelming support was a major we ego boost. So… here we go. The next chapter will be out Sunday night._

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CHAPTER TEN – CONSEQUENCES OF FAILURE 

_The room was dark… if, in fact, it actually was a room. Truth be told, there was really no way to tell. There were walls… definitely. _Maybe._ From his vantage, there seemed to be large, heavy granite stones stacked one on top of the other, rising high into the shadowed darkness above. There were no doors or widows or any other break in the stones' monotony… just from the floor up until it vanished._

_The floor was definitely a floor. No doubt. Footsteps echoed off of the smooth, dirt covering beneath each step… the sound ricocheting from the massive walls and carrying down the corridor._

That was it_, Harry silently screamed to himself. _I'm in some type of hallway.

Am I still at Hogwarts? _He looked around, confused by the darkness and irregular shadows that crept around him. _I don't remember leaving. Where am I?

_He was moving suddenly, his apparent ability to control his actions having vanished, as the deep lines of age along the walls… the presence of moisture readily apparent, as he strode purposefully down the hallway. _

"_Master? A voice called from the darkness._

_Harry watched as a silent hand, not his own even though he could feel himself moving, came into sight. Gesturing for the unseen figure to step forward, Harry felt himself recoil at seeing Peter Pettigrew… Wormtail, suddenly step out of the gloomy corner shadows, his sniveling posture enough to fill Harry with the need to view the dinner meal he'd finished not so long ago…_

Dinner? That's right_, Harry felt like jumping in triumph. _I had dinner with Neville and Hermione. The argument with Ron Weasley about teams and Ginny… and then bed. I'm asleep! This is a dream.

"_I have word, Master." Wormtail's sickening words carried in the gloom of this… dungeon-like cavern. Harry felt the sneer on his lips, he couldn't tell whether controlled or of his own volition, and he didn't care. The only true traitor to his parents was standing before him._

"_Speak." _That's definitely not my voice! What is going on?

_Pettigrew seemed to shrink back in fear. "Word has come that Harry Potter is at Hogwarts… with Dumbledore…"_

_Harry felt a hand… his hand, but not his, suddenly whip out and strike the sniveling coward, knocking him to the floor. "Never speak that name. He has pushed at me, all these long years… seeking to keep me from my destiny._

"_Yes, Master…" Wormtail's voice was soft, edged with terror._

"_And he shall not stop me from taking my revenge upon the Potter brat…" A chill ran through Harry's skin at the words his mouth spoke. "And nothing shall stop that old fool from my victory."_

_The cowardly traitor was on his knees; his eyes alight with an unholy fire. "What would you have me do, Master?"_

_Harry felt laughter bubbling from his lips. "Patience…"_

"Brightwing! Brightwing!"

Harry felt hands shaking him. Twisting away from the possible danger, Harry felt himself suddenly suspended in the moment, before gravity finally won out and he fell hard to the floor beside his bed. The shock of the cold stone floor… _figures I'd miss the rug completely_, not to mention the abrupt and sudden stop from falling was enough to jolt him out of his sleep-induced stupor.

Shaking his head to clear out the strange nightmare, Harry turned to find fuzzy, indistinct blurs hovering over him. "Wha…?"

Someone was handing him something. As his fingers gratefully closed over his glasses, Harry quickly put them on and found that the rest of his dorm mates were all around him, various expressions from annoyance to concern apparent.

"What happened?"

"Makin' a bloody racket." Ronald Weasley uttered under his breath.

Neville shot the redheaded boy a dark look before offering his hand to Harry. "Sorry if I startled you, mate, but you were thrashing around. A nightmare?"

Harry stood with his friend's assistance and glanced about the room. Everyone was awake. He felt his skin flush under the scrutinizing gazes as he considered what to say. Finally, he just nodded. "Yeah. Bad dream."

"Aw. Did poor Brightwing have a bad one?" Seamus teased. "Do you need warm milk or something to make it all better?"

"Hey, Ron…" Dean laughed. "Your new partner needs help. Why don't you rock him back to sleep?"

Harry closed his eyes to block out the anger he felt rising. Slowly counting to ten, he heard Neville's voice as he reached eight.

"Sod off, guys. Seamus, I remember you crying for your mum in your first year."

Harry opened his eyes to see the other boy blushing profusely, as Ron stepped up between them. "What's your problem, Nevie?" At the nickname, the other boys laughed. "Why don't you just back up before you get hurt."

Seeing a confrontation coming, Harry squeezed his hands into fists. "I'm sorry that I woke all of you up." He ignored the look of surprise on Longbottom's face. "It was my fault."

Ron grinned… an expression of glee that came very close to the way Draco Malfoy often looked. "Right. Good, then. Try not to do it again."

As Harry turned to climb back into his bed, he shot Neville a quick look of thanks before taking off his glasses and trying to get back to sleep.

_What was that dream about?_

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

His nightmare had been just the heralding of a downward spiral that he couldn't just find a way to get out of. Before breakfast, nearly the whole school had been informed about his nightmare… courtesy of Ginny's brother, Ron, no doubt… which led to many of the other boys in Gryffindor, as well as many of the other houses, to use the tactic of offering to owl home for his blankie or mum to rock him to sleep.

He could ignore the mindless taunts. Moony had taught him better than that, but the boys were easy. It was the girls that were hard. Now, everywhere he went, several girls offered to help him in some activity or another to get him to have pleasant dreams each night… and while several suggestions had been bold enough to possibly make even Padfoot blush, he'd wisely and always politely refused. But then the boys learned that the girls were treating him better than ever, which caused them to get even worse.

So far, he'd had four potions get tampered with when he wasn't looking, allowing for Snape to deduct even more points and assign enough detentions to last until well after Christmas. His parchments for Herbology had vanished, earning him a detention in the morning rather than Snape's late night choices.

Malfoy and Nott had set him up in Defense Against the Dark Arts, making it look like he was picking on a girl in Hufflepuff about her choice of teammates. Shacklebolt had deducted points and required twelve inches on the proper method for approaching a dangerous situation, as sanctioned by the Ministry… that last part due to Harry's own ideas as taught by Moony and Padfoot. The Auror turned Professor had been less than pleased.

And that was just the first day.

It had only been through the combined efforts of Cho, Cedric, Luna and Hermione… _why is she acting so funny around me lately?_… that he'd not started hexing anyone and everyone that came near him during dinner. He loved being with his friends, but that led to a whole new set of problems.

Initially, he'd thought… _hoped, really_, that telling things about himself to Hermione might have smoothed things over for a little bit, but things seemed as tense as ever. Maybe more so. _Blimey, but I'm a git!_

Ginny seemed noticeably absent that day… and the three days after. No, instead, he was stuck with Hermione digging for more information, her innocent questions often coming closer to the type of inquiry the Ministry had subjugated him to after his capture just a few weeks back.

Harry shook his head as he moved towards his next class, his mind a million miles from anywhere close by_. I know that they want more information. They all deserve it, but can I take the chance?_

"Brightwing? Earth to Brightwing?" Cedric's voice pulled him out of his melancholy thoughts. The older boy just smiled. "You still with us?"

Harry nodded as he glanced around the table of their impromptu study group, his eyes constantly seeking for a splash of red hair somewhere, but she was nowhere to be found. In fact, the only glimpse he'd had that came close was seeing Ron each morning and night… which was definitely not the same thing.

Sighing, he looked over at Hermione, who was watching him with a calculating look on her face. As their eyes met, he watched as she smiled softly at him. He'd considered asking her what was going on, with her but he knew that some type of game was afoot, and he'd be damned twice for falling into it. It was Luna, however, that finally offered his salvation.

"Where _is_ Ginny?"

He was satisfied to see Hermione jump at Luna's question, pulled out of whatever private world she'd been in while staring at him. She turned to answer, but her eyes flicked over to Cho, who had looked up at the question. The pretty Oriental girl grinned as she caught the blonde's attention. "Ginny and Neville are together. She's perfectly fine."

_Neville?_ At her words, Harry guiltily looked around. _Neville's not here either_. Harry considered the past three days. He couldn't really remember not seeing Neville around either. Sure, they saw each other in the mornings… sometimes at night after Harry had gotten out of Snape's detention… but no. _Neville been gone, too. We've still got to come up with a plan for DADA._

Leaning back, Harry looked down at the pages of the book in front of him, not really seeing the words written on the pages. _Neville… and… Ginny?_ He felt his mouth go dry and his stomach suddenly tie up in knots at the idea. _Could they be… dating?_

"Brightwing?" Harry looked up to see Cedric looking at him again, concern in his eyes. "Are you sure you're okay? You keep spacing out on us."

Harry closed the book and set it on the table. "I think I may need to go lay down." At his words, everyone nodded and offered words of encouragement.

"You'll see everyone gets back to their rooms okay?" Harry looked at Cedric.

"Of course."

"Brightwing?" Cho stood suddenly, her dark eyes looking into his. "Can you walk me back? I think I'm done here. For a bit."

Harry nodded as he glanced at Cedric, but the other boy was smiling at him. "Do you mind? I can't get past this paragraph with her here distracting me." Everyone at the table chuckled. "Is that okay?"

He smiled at the older boy. "Not at all. You ready now?" He asked Cho Chang.

Moving quickly to loop her arm through Harry's, she turned to her boyfriend and winked. "Bye, guys."

As they moved through the library, Harry smiled at some of the looks that several other students were giving him… half of the wonder couple on his arm. He and Cho both ignored the whispering that broke out behind their backs as they passed, eventually making it out of the room without laughing out loud.

Cho grinned at him with sympathy as he started escorting her towards the Ravenclaw wing of the school. "Sorry 'bout that." At his questioning look, she continued. "Before Cedric, I had a bit of a reputation for going through boys like tissue. Looks like you'll have a whole slew of new rumours going before breakfast tomorrow."

Harry smiled back, his spirits not dampened in the least. "I think I can live with this one."

Cho grinned. "Good."

As they continued walking in silence, Cho started fidgeting. At Harry's glance, the shorter girl started to flush in obvious embarrassment.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked worriedly.

"Well…"

"You don't have to tell me. I'd just like to help if I can."

"Can I be honest with you?"

Harry smiled to himself. _Ah. The truth at last._ "Gonna spill the beans on the big plan?"

At the sharp look he was now getting, Harry couldn't help but chuckle. _He'd guessed right, apparently._

"How'd you know?"

"Not sure." Harry answered honestly. "I feel like I'm being watched, but not in any dangerous way. Ginny and Neville have been absent, though those two and Hermione used to always be around. And you wanting to have me take you back to your dorm."

"You don't want to spend time with me?"

"Sure, but we never do." He smiled. "So, something has to be up."

At that last, Cho's eyebrows rose significantly into her forehead. Harry just kept smiling. "I was always taught to look for what seemed out of place."

"I knew they'd underestimated you." Cho grinned as they continued their way to the moving staircases. "Do you know what they're doing? Or why?"

Harry considered for a moment before frowning. "No, though it has something to do with Ginny. I'd bet my shoes on that. I thought maybe it was something to do with Hermione… she's been watching me for nearly a week now… like she's got something to say, but doesn't know how to start."

Cho smiled. "What do you think it's about?"

"Ginny or Hermione?"

"You pick."

Harry kept the fear off of his features. _Does Hermione know? Has she finally figured it all out yet? If anyone might, it would definitely be Hermione… especially after that game of questions. But if she knows, has she told anyone else?_ Aloud, he sighed. "Other than me not being an open book, you mean?"

"Maybe." The Oriental girl shrugged. "So, you think it's about Ginny, huh?"

_Ginny? Interesting. I'd have thought Hermione…_ "I can't see all of you going through this much trouble to plan something on me if it was Neville."

Cho just nodded. _Not much with jokes, am I?_

She stiffened on his arm. _Something's wrong._ Harry watched her body language.

"I think they had planned to see if pulling Ginny away from you might get a reaction. Get you to open up."

He frowned at that. _Am I really that closed off?_

"I don't think they expected you to have such a bad week, so far. All of the detentions and necessary escapes from Fred and George. The arguments with what seems the entirety of Slytherin… Not to mention the school reacting to your nightmares."

"Nightmares?" Harry shook his head in amazement. "I have one silly dream, and now I'm a walking mental case?"

Cho looked horrified at his words. "Oh, no. Please don't think that. I think Hermione and Ginny are just upset that you haven't said anything before now…"

"But tonight is just about the only time I've been around where all of you should have been there, too. How could I ask and not look daft?"

"Are you really worried about looking daft?"

Harry rolled his eyes as they made it to the door to Cho's dormitory. "No. But I don't like being manipulated." He sighed. "I have enough of that in my life already."

"Enough of what? Who's manipulating you?" Cho tiled her head as she looked up at him. "What's going on, Brightwing?"

At the name _Brightwing_, Harry flinched. "I'm not ready to talk about that."

Cho watched him silently. Finally, the girl shrugged as she put her hand along the side of his face. If anyone else would have looked, it might have seemed an intimate touch, but Harry could see in her eyes that there wasn't love there… only sadness… _and maybe something… else_. "Don't wait too long, Brightwing."

"What?" He couldn't help but ask.

Cho pulled away and moved to the hidden doorway. "I'd hate for you to lose something that could be great."

Harry nodded as he turned back to head towards his own dorm. G_uess I'll need to have a sit down with Ginny and Hermione before bed tonight._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"You're not m-mad, then?" Neville asked for the fifth time in the past minute.

Harry shook his head as he swallowed the food he'd just put in his mouth. Finally swallowing… a strangely difficult task when someone was staring at you. He smiled briefly before taking a quick sip of his pumpkin juice.

"Look… I said its okay. I understand that two of your best friends asked you for a favor. It's fine. Really."

Instead of appeasing the other boy, Harry's words only seemed to make him wilt further. "You're my f-friend, too, Brightwing."

Harry just smiled, shaking his head slightly. "Never doubted it, mate. I promise that it's okay."

Neville still didn't seem mollified, but nodded anyway. "I told them it was silly… avoiding you so that you'd c-come looking for her."

Harry just shrugged.

Neville sighed. "Have y-you talked with Ginny and Hermione?"

Harry let his smile become a full-fledged grin. "Yeah. Hermione's about like you. Refusing to let me simply say its okay." Neville smiled weakly. "Ginny, on the other hand, is in complete apology mode. So far, I've gotten offers of staying away from me forever if I feel I can't trust her anymore to offering me her first born child."

The boy sitting across from him started to cough into his goblet. "First b-born?"

Harry grinned. "Yeah. I considered that one, but decided instead on taking the high road." At Neville's quizzical look, Harry continued. "I finally saw that she needed some type of punishment, so she's going to wear her hair in pigtails until I say differently."

"Really?"

"Oh, it gets better." Harry smiled evilly. "Hermione decided to go along with whatever I decided for Ginny. Friends to the end, or something like that."

"You're l-l-lying."

Before he could respond, and as if it had been planned, the Gryffindor table all began to laugh, drawing Harry and Neville's attention to the doorway of the Great Hall. Standing there, Hermione and Ginny had just walked in. The faces of both were deep crimson in embarrassment. Both stood there dressed as they normally might be, but it wasn't the clothes that had most of the student body laughing, but that both girls' hair were braided to the side of their heads in pigtails.

Harry had to admit that Ginny was cute, though she was transformed to a ten year old with the look. Hermione Granger, however, looked like a poodle in need of a good shave.

Smiling over at Neville good-naturedly, Harry leaned across the table. "Told you."

Harry stood and gestured for the two girls to join him and Neville at the other end of the table. Both of them had expressions of complete mortification, as they walked very stiff-backed across the Hall and to the waiting seats of their friends.

As they approached, the Slytherin table caught his attention. Draco Malfoy was in deep conversation with some of the other kids in his house. He was gesticulating wildly, often a finger being pointed in Harry's direction. Sighing, Harry forced his attention back to the girls. _ I'll deal with Malfoy, later._

"Ooo. Ginny." One of the Weasley twins taunted. "Mum will be…"

"So happy." The other finished before both were suddenly on the floor laughing.

Harry grinned at both of them; ignoring the scowling look that Ron was giving him. Harry arched an eyebrow at the slight twitch at the youngest Weasley brother's lip.

Once the four of them were both sitting down, Hermione leaned her elbows on the table and hid her flushed face in her hands. "I can't believe this."

"You?" Ginny's voice was barely above a whisper. "Colin took pictures. Mum and Dad are going to see those. My brothers will see to that!"

"Did you see the look Professor McGonagall was giving us?"

Harry smiled as he picked up his goblet and finished off his juice. "Well…" At his word, both girls looked at him, hope dancing in their expressions. "Did we learn anything today?"

Ginny started to immediately answer, but Hermione's hand on hers brought her up short. Both of them looked at one another, a silent conversation passing between them, before they both looked at Harry.

Hermione looked him directly in the eye, her gaze unflinching. "Friends don't manipulate one another."

"No more lies." Ginny added.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the look Hermione gave him when Ginny said the word lies_. She knows. Or, at the very least, suspects._

Harry smiled, bottling the fear inside. "How about you two put your hair back… tomorrow after dinner?"

"Tomorrow?" Hermione asked.

Ginny seemed to slump in her seat. "After dinner?"

He glanced between both of them before catching Neville's gaze and then winking at the other boy. "Or after Halloween, if you'd rather…"

"No!" Both girls nearly shouted above the rest of the noise in the Great Hall.

Hermione blushed even redder, but it was Ginny that smiled softly at him. "No. Tomorrow after dinner is fine."

Harry grinned. "Good."


	12. Please Stand Up

DISCLAIMER: J.K. Rowling owns everything.

A/N: Nearly 14,000 hits. Thank you so much for all of your reviews, questions and criticisms. I can honestly say that the ideas that so many of you have given me have helped the story along. I hope that everyone enjoys this chapter. In my original draft, it came much, much earlier. I like it better here. Thanks, again.

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CHAPTER ELEVEN – PLEASE STAND UP

Harry sighed as he closed the book that was resting in his lap. Advanced Runes of Mesopotamia was not a light read by any stretch of the imagination. Leaning back in the library chair, he considered everything that happened over his first month at Hogwarts.

As much as he never would have considered it, Neville's prediction on the female students reacting to Harry had been dead on. It seemed that everywhere he went, girls from every House, ever year, were finding reasons to come up and talk to him. Allure of the new guy or something like that... and with the revelations of the talks with Ginny first and then Hermione… well, neither Hermione nor Ginny had been happy about that. Nor Luna, in fact.

_Harry smiled as he remembered on more than one occasion finding one of the girls, if not all three, quietly making it known to leave him alone. He'd thought it funny at first, but as the days had turned into weeks, he still couldn't find much peace on his own, of late. Even now in the library, a spot Hermione had said would surely be a haven for him to retreat to, had eventually broken down. Not fifteen minutes ago, four girls from Ravenclaw had been forced out of the library by Madam Pince because they wouldn't stop giggling and mooning over how he sat while studying. _

_He had tried to go to talk with Cedric on his third day at the school to thank him again for his assistance, as well as to give him an opportunity to finally meet Cedric's girl, Cho. Harry had been surprised to find that she was of Oriental heritage, as he had pictured something completely different in his head. The other half of the "wonder couple," as Hermione continued to refer to them, had taken pity on Harry and had told of her own views on what it must be like, as Cedric had gone through something very similar… especially after he successfully won the Tri-Wizard's Cup. Cedric, however, just laughed. He smiled at Harry's blush when he said to just let Hermione, Luna and Ginny take care of it for him._

_As for Ginny, things had both progressed and gotten worse after his first confrontation with her brothers. Fred and George had initially decided that pranking him was the safer route to get him away from their sister… but Harry refused to budge. He hoped that Ginny appreciated what she meant to him, as he suffered through the past weeks, never knowing what was going to jump out at him next… being good for Dumbledore was beginning to wane thing. He sorted through his memories as he thought of how he'd had to endure his entire first weekend with purple hair and robes that liked to vanish at the most inopportune times. _

_Ginny had tried stepping in then… though Harry never knew exactly how. Something had happened, and then just yesterday…and an untold number of ruined homework assignments later… the twins came down to the Great Hall, in front of everyone, to apologize to Harry. He had smiled as Ginny had refused to even look at them while they publicly prostrated themselves in front of him, pulling gales of laughter from the tables around them, until Harry had been left with no other choice but to forgive them and to help them each to their feet._

_Ron, on the other hand during all of this, had retreated further from Harry, even going so far as to start various rumours about him. Trying to be teammates didn't seem to endear him to the boy at all. Harry had been forced to convince Ginny to ignore it, as the rumours weren't really doing anything but giving people something to talk about… which they were prone to do anyway _

_It had almost worked, too, until Ginny had received a message from her mother during lunch last week, demanding to know what was going on with this strange older boy. The message had ended with her mother practically demanding Ginny to write back immediately or she and her father were going to come up this weekend to the school in order to find out for themselves._

_Harry had put his head in his hands as Ginny had quietly stormed out of the Great Hall, unshed tears filling her eyes. Hermione had apologized at once and ran after her, neither he nor Neville seeing either one of them until the next morning. Things had been strained for a day, before another letter had shown up from her mother, eliciting a small smile that the two refused to share, no matter how much he asked,_

That situation had led to some extremely chilly looks among all of the Weasley kids at the school… and had, in his opinion, been an important contributing factor in the twins' sudden acceptance of his and Ginny's friendship.

Setting his textbook on the table, Harry removed his glasses and slowly rubbed his eyes. He tried practicing the meditation exercises that Moony pressured him to master… another way to keep his emotions in check, when he sensed that he was no longer alone. Quickly grabbing his glasses and putting them back on; Harry was surprised to find Professor Dumbledore standing over him.

"And so, how has your first month of classes been?"

Harry ignored the grandfather routine that the powerful wizard seemed to try and portray and sighed. "As well as can be expected I suppose."

Dumbledore looked at the chair across from him. "May I?"

At Harry's noncommittal grunt, he deftly pulled the chair outward and sat down. "No thoughts on your classes?"

Harry straightened up in his chair, trying to loosen the knots in his back, as he considered what to say. "Well… potions are okay, though Professor Snape doesn't seem to like me." At Dumbledore's nod, Harry continued. "Runes is fine, but this book could be used to put whole armies to sleep."

"Anything else?" At Harry's questioning look, the Headmaster smiled. "Professor Shacklebolt says you are doing remarkably well in his class."

_Really?_ "Well," Harry struggled to come up with something else. "Defense Against the Dark Arts is alright… it's just nothing really new to me."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose.

"See… I already know about the Unforgivable Curses. And Moo… I mean, my time spent with Sirius and Remus before Hogwarts made sure I was able to fight, so I'm already good with wand usage and dueling. I guess I won't really know how I'm doing in there until after the team stuff gets started."

"And your team includes?"

_Like you don't already know_… Harry kept his face passive. "Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, me… and Ron Weasley."

If the names surprised him, the Headmaster didn't show it. "He also says that you're good with some non-verbal magic, a rare talent, perhaps the best he's seen in years for one so young, though you are reluctant to exhibit any real talent for it in front of the others."

Harry nodded. "I just don't see any reason to go showing it off, especially when no one else seems to be very good at it. Remus always said to let everyone think you're nothing until it was time to prove them wrong."

His eyebrows rose. "Is that why I am getting reports of your… lackluster magical abilities?"

Harry shrugged.

"You've been good about maintaining a sense of mediocrity… but for your sharp senses?" Harry looked him in the eye as the old man spoke. Something in his voice was leading him. _Did he know about the Animagus form?_

He watched, as the Headmaster seemed to consider saying more, but instead smiled and moved on to another subject. "And friends outside of class? You are still doing well with Miss Granger and Miss Weasley?"

Shaking his head at the mind games the older wizard kept trying, Harry refused to rise to the bait. "Sure. Neville, Luna and Cedric, too. Oh, and Cho. They're all great. Even Fred and George are coming around… better late than never, I guess."

"And you have confided in them who you really are… Mr. _Brightwing_?" Harry cringed as the Professor put emphasis on the nickname that the school referred to him as currently.

Seeing as the old man probably already knew as much, Harry decided not to waste any effort in trying to lie. "No. Not yet."

"And why ever not?" Harry hated the way his eyes sparkled as he asked the question.

Harry paused, holding back the easy answer. _Why hadn't he told them?_ He bit the tip of his tongue as he looked back over the past week.

"I've never really had friends." He stared down at the table, refusing to meet the Headmaster's gaze. "I'm not saying that I haven't been cared for. Sirius and… and o-others have taken care of me… since, well… since my parents were killed. But… well… I've never really had real friends. People my own age.

"Besides… I think Hermione has figured it out already." Harry hadn't meant to reveal so much, but once the words had started. They had refused to stop on their own. "Too smart for her own good sometimes…"

As the silence dragged on, he finally looked up to see a thoughtful look on Dumbledore's face. Finally, the old man reached into his robe and from seemingly nowhere, pulled out a bag of candy and began eating a chocolate frog.

"Would you be upset to learn that Cedric was lying to you?"

Harry sat up. "Lying to me? About what?"

"Or perhaps your Miss Weasley? Hiding something?"

_My Miss Weasley?_ Harry looked around the library, not really surprised to find it empty but for the two of them. "What would they have to lie to me about? Are they okay?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly. "Would you stop caring for them if they held something back from you?"

Harry immediately saw the trap that Dumbledore had set for him, but could not immediately find a way out of it. Sheepishly, he ducked his head and considered where the Headmaster was leading him.

"You're saying that I can't truly be a friend to them unless I'm honest with them. To give them a chance to be a real friend to me. Not to Brightwing, but to me. To Harry Potter."

The Professor nodded, his mouth chewing on another chocolate frog.

"But what if they don't. What if I'm alone again?"

"But if Miss Granger already knows, are you not hurting her by not letting her know that she is right?"

"It's worked so far." He retorted sarcastically.

Dumbledore lifted his left eyebrow and Harry immediately felt bad for his rudeness, though the Headmaster said nothing about his lack of respect.

"Fine." Harry relented. "I'll tell them tonight."

"Excellent." Dumbledore stood abruptly, a self-satisfied smile on his face. He dropped two Wizard Cards on the table, both of himself. "I already have plenty of those. I have enjoyed out chat, Mr. Potter. Perhaps we can try it again next week?"

With those words, the Professor left, leaving Harry alone to figure out exactly how he was going to go about explaining to his friends the truth about who he was.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Quidditch Cup" Harry quietly spoke to the painting. With a quick nod, the portrait accepted the password and silently moved aside, allowing for him to pass quickly into the Gryffindor tower. As he stepped into the common room, Harry scanned the room to see Ron and one of his friends bent over a chessboard. Shaking his head, he turned to scan the rest of the room.

Several younger students were scattered about the room, some engaged in various games, while others were deep in conversation. Over by the fire, he finally spotted one of the ones he was looking for. Hermione sat huddled in a corner, a large book open on her knees while she absently chewed on the end of her quill. Taking a breath, Harry moved purposefully over to her.

"Hermione?"

At hearing her name, she looked up. He was glad to see a smile stretch across her face, brightening all of her features. _She really is quite lovely. Does she know?_

Harry watched as she quirked an eyebrow, apparently reading the seriousness in his face. "What's wrong?"

_No backing out now._ "Can you get Ginny while I go get Neville?" When she didn't say anything immediately, Harry pressed forward. "I need to tell you something."

Comprehension seemed to flood over her as without another word, the curly haired girl dropped everything and ran up the stairs to the girls' dormitory.

Watching after her for only a moment, Harry turned and moved briskly up the other staircase. Luckily, Neville was sitting on his bed, his eyes glazed over as he stared out the window… a half written parchment, most likely to his gran, left unfinished by his pillow.

Apparently alerted to his presence, Neville seemed to shake himself out of his thoughts and glanced over to see him. "What's up?" When Harry didn't immediately respond, he stood quickly and drew closer. "A-are you okay, mate?"

Harry took a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "I've sent Hermione to get Ginny. I need to tell all of you something."

Neville seemed confused for only a moment before he nodded slowly. "Do I need to g-go g-get the others? Luna, Cedric and Cho?"

Harry considered for a moment. _Should they be included, too?_ Finally, he nodded.

Neville smiled hopefully. "Where do y-you want to m-m-meet up?"

Harry considered for a moment. "We've still got a few hours till dinner, and then some time after until curfew. How about down by the lake, over near the Whomping Willow?"

Neville smiled. "Okay. Meet you th-there in a f-few."

Without another word, the brown haired boy moved quickly down the stairs. Harry followed, though a bit slower, and was not surprised to find Neville had already exited the common room. For a moment, he considered going back up to his bed and not coming back out, but he turned to see both Hermione and Ginny had chosen that moment to come down the stairs.

"Neville?" Ginny asked. Harry tried to not read too much into her hopeful face.

"He went to get the others."

Both of the girls simply nodded. Without another word, Harry turned and led the two of them out of the tower.

It was almost eerie how they walked silently through the hallways, down the stairs and out to the grounds immediately surrounding the school. Once or twice, Harry turned to look at both of them, both beautiful beyond words to him, but if they had been talking, Harry could never catch them.

Several times, other students would call out to one or all three of them, but Harry ignored everything. He caught snippets of Hermione and sometimes Ginny declining, making up some excuse as to where they were going. Eventually, they made it out of the building. Without question, the three of them walked across the grass and neared the hedges. A slight rock wall alerted the range of the Whomping Willow's reach, and it was here that Harry stopped to turn and look at them.

Harry sat quietly at the wall, his heart beating wildly. With no word being spoken, both girls sat on either side of him, each taking one of his hands in their own… Ginny eventually laying her head on his shoulder while Hermione rubbed his back soothingly.

He had no idea of how much time had passed, but eventually, Neville appeared with three other figures following close behind. Cho and Cedric walked hand-in-hand, but even from a distance, Harry could tell that they were as solemn as the three of them on the wall were. Luna seemed to almost float, like an otherworldly spirit made flesh.

When all six of them were close, Neville surprisingly seemed to take charge and had everyone sit or get comfortable. Cedric and Cho decided to sit on the grass, directly opposite from Harry, while Luna tilted her head to the side and watched the lake... _probably looking for the Giant Squid_. Neville crouched on one knee, his eyes never leaving Harry's.

"So… you finally trust us enough?"

Harry jumped at Cho's words. _Had he been that obvious?_ He could feel the heat rise into his cheeks as he prayed for some guidance from someone, somewhere.

It would come from Luna, whose back was turned to the rest of the group. "And now we learn the real story." _How does one crazy girl seem so smart?_

Harry took a deep breath and tried to pull his hands free from Hermione and Ginny, afraid of how he would take it if they pulled away from him once he was finished talking. Stubbornly, neither let either of his hands go.

Nodding to both of them, though he never turned his face away from Neville, Harry started.

"There's a reason…" _No. That sounds like a speech._

"I've always wanted…" _Too wishy-washy._

Harry opened his mouth and closed it. Each way he thought he might begin seeing worse than the one before it. He decided for the truth.

"I've been terrified of letting you in. Any of you in." Harry felt Hermione give his hand a squeeze. It was enough. "I've never really had friends. Not like any of you. Not people that I cared… care about."

Ginny sucked in her breath as he could see her brown eyes glued to his face. He refused to look at anyone besides Neville. Maybe if it was Neville that turned away… _not Ginny_… _or Hermione_, it would be easier.

"I was taken from my home… years ago. I never got the chance to know either of my parents… not before they had… died." Cho drew closer to Cedric, though both watched him intently. "It didn't matter though. The people who raised me, the ones who cared for me. They were my family. They were the ones that called me Brightwing, though it was pup or cub before that…

"But that's not what I want to talk about. Not yet. That can be later if you still want to hear it."

"Of course we'll want…" Neville began, but a sharp look from Hermione shut him up before he could finish the thought. Harry smiled at him for the effort.

"Everything you know, everything you've ever been told. It's all wrong. And the longer I waited, the longer I… stalled… the harder it became… the more I was scared to tell you the truth.

"See… I… Harry could feel tears welling up in his eyes. He would have wiped them away, but the hands holding his refused to let go.

"I just don't know how to say it. I've never had to say it out loud to anyone that didn't already know. Someone that didn't already know the truth. Knew who I really am."

"Who are you?" Ginny asked, her voice thick with sadness.

It was her sadness… her tears that broke through whatever spell he'd cast upon himself all this time, that kept him from revealing who he was. With a sigh, Harry just gave everything up and let go. With a silent prayer, he closed his eyes, afraid of what he'd see. _Help me Padfoot._

"My name… see… my name is… I'm Harry." _Merlin, what am I doing?_ "Harry Potter."

He took comfort in the fact that neither Ginny nor Hermione had pulled away from him, that each still held his hands tightly in theirs. But so far, no one had said anything. Opening his eyes slowly, having to blink away the tears that fell freely down his face, Harry took in the people he had called around him.

Neville seemed frozen in disbelief. His eyes were wide, and his lips trembled slightly. "Harry? Potter?" He finally got out. "You're pranking us. A joke. But H-H-Harry's dead… I-I mean… how?"

Behind him, Cedric's eyes were narrowed, though not in anger... _not exactly_. Over the past month, Harry had come to realize that this type of look usually meant that he was trying to sort out a problem... usually before he went completely mental. To his side, Cho was alternating looks between him and Cedric, her face pale.

Luna, on the other hand, was twirling around and around in circles, her face skyward. "See? The miniature minomites always tells true. No secrets now. No secrets."

Calling upon his reserves, upon all the strength that had seemingly left him upon telling them his darkest secret, Harry stood and stepped away from the two sitting on either side of him. He couldn't bear to look at one with looking at the other. Quickly, he turned and knelt in front of them, facing both of them.

Ginny's face was red, tears falling freely down her face. Harry forced himself to look into her eyes, to face whatever repulsion might be there for him, ready to face losing a part of himself at her leaving, but he found that she was just looking at him, questions unasked waiting for the chance to find voice.

Hermione, sitting to the side of her, was just the opposite. No tears fell, but her face held something like… not disappointment, but more like an expectation of more… like Harry hadn't yet given her everything that she was looking for. _Why doesn't she seem surprised? She knew!_

He realized in that moment that while he would miss those now behind him, he had to make sure everything was okay with the two in front of him. Taking a shaky breath, he cleared his throat and tried to keep his voice calm. "Well?"

Neither said anything for the longest time. From behind him, Harry could sense the others shifting, moving. Finally, Cedric's voice called over to him. "Why now? Why tell us this now?"

Harry answered, though he remained facing the two girls… no, women that meant so much to him, though how and in what way was still a mystery to him. "Truthfully? Dumbledore." Harry answered.

"So… Dumbledore forced you to tell us?" Cedric countered right back. "Why?"

Harry's gaze never left Hermione or Ginny. "He didn't force me. He encouraged me. He's been pushing me toward something… my time here… Hogwarts. I don't know what, but he made me realize that I couldn't call myself your friend until I gave each of you the chance to be mine."

"But Sirius Black…" Cho's voice broke, though her tone was accusatory. "You were with him when you he attacked the Aurors."

Harry was shaking his head. _This wasn't the time for that part of the truth._ "No. Everyone's under the assumption that Sirius and Remus killed my family. That they kidnapped me. They saved me. And as for what happed at the cemetery at Little Hangleton," Harry let out a harsh breath. "That was us trying to stop Wormtail… It just fell apart after that. We had no idea about Voldemort coming back."

Both Ginny and Hermione winced at hearing Harry use the Dark Wizard's name.

"Why are you here?" Neville asked.

Harry chose to intentionally misinterpret his question. "To tell you all the truth."

"I meant here at Hogwarts."

Harry shook his head sadly. "Dumbledore is keeping me here under threat of sending Sirius to Azkaban. As long as I follow his rules, play the game his way, Sirius stays out of the Dementors' reach."

"But Sirius is already IN Azkaban." Cho almost screamed.

"No." Harry was proud at how calm his voice remained. "He's not. That's what Dumbledore has convinced the Ministry to spread… a way to force me to stay here."

"You'd leave then, if you could?" Hermione asked in a small voice.

Harry felt his resolve begin to fall at the hurt in her voice. "No. Not now. But when you all found me on the train… me alone in that room, I could think of little else but that this would be a prison. A jail to keep me away from the only family that I've ever known… that raised me and cared for me.

"Now, things are all… different. There's all of you. Uncle Remus and Sirius," he ignored how both flinched at his causal use of names that had become synonymous with traitors, worse than Death Eaters. "They always told me stories of what friends could be like… but we were always on the move, always another mission to prepare for, another plot to foil. Pranks and jokes of childhood were just stories.

"My life… and theirs, was about the hunt."

He took a deep breath. "I can't stop feeling trapped here… not with all that I know that is going no out in the world… but I can't say that I wanna leave, anymore, either."

"Why?" Ginny asked, the trails of tears staining her cheeks.

"I can't say exactly…" At her look, Harry shrugged. "All of you… but especially both of you… I can't go. Something holds me here."

He shook his head. He wasn't explaining this right… but at his words, he was shocked to see that both Hermione and Ginny seemed to perk up, that their faces didn't seem so lost as they had just moments ago.

"So… what now? Everything stays the same as it is, but we now keep your secret?" Cedric's voice.

Harry dropped his head. "I don't know." He turned his head so that he could see the others out of the corner of his eye. "Keep the secret. Don't. You have to decide.

"And I have to trust you to make whatever decision you feel is best."

He watched as Neville stood and took a deep breath. The brown-haired boy looked at everyone else, his gaze looking over Harry's head at the two Gryffindor girls before he finally nodded. "I'm your m-mate, Brightwing… or H-Harry." _It sounded strange to hear Neville calling him Harry_. "But I have questions… but they c-can wait, for now."

Harry nodded once, relief flowing through him.

Cedric was next. He stood, then helped Cho stand next to him. "I'm not as easily swayed." _Swayed?_ "I need…"

"We need." Cho added.

Cedric smiled sadly down at his girlfriend. "_We_ need to consider all of this." Harry felt the walls he'd erected chip at the blow. _Padfoot, you knew it would hurt like this, didn't you? _ "It's just a lot to take in… all at once."

When Harry drew his brow down in confusion, Cedric continued. "I'm not turning away from you, Bri… Harry." He smiled that charming smile of his that Harry envied. "This just goes against everything I've ever really believed."

"You said on the train that most people thought I was alive."

Cedric started, then blushed slightly. "Yes. That's true. But what I didn't say is that my family… that I…"

"They worry that you're a dark wizard, Harry. Out to steal his soul and turn his love into a toad." Luna's voice almost sang from where she was standing.

He could only nod. That was the rumour that had worried him the most. "I can only say I'm not… but I'm not sure a real dark wizard would admit to being one, so I can't figure out how you're to believe me…"

Hermione placed her hands over his own, when Ginny reached her hand out and pulled his face back to face her. "I know you're not a dark wizard, Harry Potter."

Hermione looked over at everyone standing there, watching the three of them. "Why don't we leave the rest of this for a later time?" Though posed as a question, Harry knew that it had not been a request.

"Why should we…" Neville asked, suddenly thick, but he was cut off by Ginny.

"Neville Longbottom." Her voice was like a whip. "There are things that need to be discussed. In private."

"Are you sure?" Cho's voice was wary. Harry watched in trepidation as Hermione considered the Asian girl for a moment before finally answering.

"We're fine."

Nobody else said anything. He listened silently as Luna, Cedric, Cho and eventually Neville all left… not a word spoken. After a few moments of watching them leave, apparently, he watched as one redhead and one brunette returned their gaze at him.

"So, what now, Harry Potter?" Hermione asked.

"Did you know?"

At his question, Ginny's head jerked to stare at her friend. "Hermione!"

Hermione blushed slightly. "I suspected, but it didn't matter to me."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at Hermione, but turned back to him. Her eyes were bright. "Not to me, either."

It was at that moment that he realized that he was sitting alone with two of the most beautiful girls in the entire school… maybe the entire world, for all he could know, and both were watching him. As he considered the two carefully, his own gaze alternating between the blue eyes of Hermione and the brown eyes of Ginny, a sudden thought filtered through his momentary stupor.

_Is this how the fly felt when he realized he'd entered the lily pond?_


	13. Ginny of the Lamp

DISCLAIMER: If you're reading this and you don't know who deserves all of the credit, where have you been?

A/N: Sorry it took so long for this chapter to get posted. I left the original file at work and had to get it back. Thanks for all of the reviews and feedback.

A/N 2: In the next few days, I hope to update my profile to answer some of the questions that I've been getting on the reviews for this story. I try to answer everyone that has a question, but sometimes I can't, especially when the reviews are anonymous.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER TWELVE – GINNY OF THE LAMP

Considering that his world had not collapsed into absolute ruin around him for the second time in less than four months, Harry felt that his day was going bloody well. Two of his closest friends were sitting on the stone wall surrounding the Whomping Willow located just on the edge of the Hogwarts grounds, both looking more beautiful than angels. Neither had yet to run shrieking wildly in terror at his pronouncement of being Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Vanished, nor had they begun attacking him as some dark evil bad wizardry type monster.

_Yep. The day was going good._

Cedric, Cho, Luna and Neville were finally gone. Harry sat quietly, his eyes alternating between Hermione's soft blue and Ginny's dark brown. Things had gone better than he'd expected, with only the Wonder Couple, Cho and Cedric, seeming to be against their friend Brightwing being Harry Potter. If he'd thought of losing them yesterday, the idea would have been a harsh blow… but as long as the two in front of him stood by his side, he felt that the loss of the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff could be forgiven…

His earlier conversation with Headmaster Dumbledore came to mind… about giving people the chance to be a friend and being a true friend to them, in return. If he wanted to be mates with those two, really, anyone, then he'd have to continue trying to be a friend and let them decide if they wanted it.

Harry took a deep breath, allowing for the calm silence between the three of them continue for a few moments longer. The warnings and caution that Moony and Padfoot raised him to always respect and be aware of came flooding back in retort to the ideas of the elderly professor. He thought of the Marauders… of his father and his three best friends, Moony, Padfoot and Wormtail. And it was Peter Pettigrew, Wormtail, someone his father, James Potter, had considered a close friend. Someone that Sirius had trusted. Someone that Remus had helped pass through the various lessons at Hogwarts. _Maybe finding just a few close friends and let the others fall to the wayside was the better option._

"Brightwing?" Hermione's voice shattered the uneasy quiet, pulling him from his thoughts. Harry flushed, realizing that he had been staring at the two girls for a few minutes now, but had never said anything.

Harry smiled softly. "Sorry. Taking it all in."

"Telling everyone? Telling us?" Ginny asked.

Harry considered the small girl. She really was amazing. At first glance, he could see why so many might pass her over for someone else. Her eyes were brown, pale skin with a multitude of freckles dancing on her skin. Someone… himself included, would probably discount her as plain and then move on. But the more he looked, the more Harry was enraptured. The plain brown eyes were deep, dark chocolate that caught the light. Her hair was amazing, the various shades of what he'd heard around the school referred to as "Weasley red" that just screamed for attention. But to Harry, it was the smile. Thin lips that held something that warmed him inside… even before he realized that he had been cold without it.

_Plain beautiful_, he amended silently.

"Are you upset about Cedric?" Hermione asked, pulling his attention away from Ginny. Harry flushed as he only shrugged in reply.

"Are you okay?"

Nodding, he stood, his legs having begun to cramp from his kneeling position before the two of them. "There is so much to tell, to fill you all in on. I just don't know how to start, where to begin."

"I've always liked to start the text from the first page, Bright… I mean, Harry." Hermione smiled at his glance.

Ginny lightly slapped the bushy-haired girl's arm. "I like to start at the back. No surprises." She glanced up at him. "Do we call you Harry now? Or Brightwing?"

He shrugged. "It doesn't matter much anymore, I guess. What do you think?"

"Why was it a secret?" Hermione blushed. "Other than the obvious?"

Harry sucked on his lower lip as he thought about the question. "I'm not sure about what you consider _the obvious_ to be. The Ministry of Magic wanted things kept quiet, at first. I think maybe Dumbledore pressured them to that decision…"

"But why?"

"Oh, no!" Ginny suddenly exclaimed.

Harry spun around, looking for someone possibly spying. When he saw no immediate danger, he returned his gaze to Ginny, his eye quirked in silent inquiry.

"You're what Dad and Mum were talking about… the big secret that Fred and George were so upset about not getting to learn." She appraised Harry, her cheeks blushing. "We knew about Sirius, but we didn't know about you."

"So, Mr. Weasley knew about him?" Hermione asked.

Ginny nodded. "He had to."

"So?"

Harry watched as the redhead looked at Hermione, her eyes burning. "Just that my Dad probably knew that Brightwing and Harry Potter were one in the same."

"Again I ask… so?"

"Owls home."

Hermione's face suddenly paled as she nervously moved her eyes from the upset redhead to him. Harry could only stand there and let his bafflement show clearly on his face, as he was clueless to what the two girls were referring to. _What difference would it make if her father already knew that I was here and what name I was using?_

"Dead." Ginny started mumbling under her breath. "Ginny Weasley. Dead before fifteen. Dead. I am so dead…"

Harry grinned, not in comprehension, but in that she was so cute mumbling to herself. The scene would have been perfect if her cheeks were stained with dried tears that he had caused just a few minutes earlier.

Hermione shook herself and glanced up at him, momentarily ignoring her best friend, though he watched as held hands with the girl. Harry tried to send a silent question about Ginny to Hermione, but she shook her head and smiled. "You were saying?"

"Right. Well." Shaking his head, he sighed. "What do you think you know about what happened in Godric Hollow on Halloween in 1981?"

Hermione tilted her head. "What everyone believes is that Sirius Black, the secret keeper for James and Lily Potter, betrayed them to You-Know-Who. Your parents were killed and then… well… no one knew. "

"What about Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew?"

"As Professor McGonagall explained it when asked during second year, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew vanished along with Sirius Black on the night your family was attacked."

"They're known as the three traitors." Ginny suddenly spoke up. "My brothers used to frighten me as a child with Halloween stories that if I didn't give them my treats, one of those three would come steal me out of bed."

Harry ran his fingers through his hair, pulling the natural cover away from the scar above his eye. "We think that this scar was created when Voldemort attempted to kill me with the Avada Kedavra curse." Both Hermione and Ginny jumped at his claim of surviving the killing cure, the worst of the Unforgivables.

At their movement, Harry grinned. "Peter Pettigrew… Wormtail… was the secret keeper for my parents. He is the one that betrayed them. When the Dark Mark appeared over our home, Sirius came. He found me, bleeding in the crib from the wound on my forehead.

"He was terrified." Harry looked desperately at the two girls in front of him. "His best mate had been murdered. Worse, though, he realized that another friend had betrayed them. And to top the cake, there was the belief that Sirius had been my Dad's secret keeper. He knew that he was in trouble."

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

_How much do I tell them?_ "Sirius took me to Remus to care for. He wanted to hunt Peter down and kill him." Harry smiled at the memory of the tale. "Moony made him realize that I was more important to the memory of my parents than quick vengeance, so they packed up all that they could quickly carry and then took off."

"Just like that?" Hermione inquired, her voice full of disbelief.

He nodded. "Just like that."

"B-but… why not go to the Ministry? They could have gone to Professor Dumbledore?"

Harry smiled at Hermione. "Would you have taken that chance?"

Hermione stood up, meeting him eye-to-eye. "Of course. They would have believed you."

"Like they believed me this time?"

"What?" Hermione asked, the winds falling from her sails. "Why wouldn't they believe you?"

Ginny snorted, causing Harry to chuckle. Sharing a quick smile with her, he looked at the dark-haired girl. "Cause maybe I'm a dark wizard?"

"But…"

"Hermione." Harry interrupted her. "I love that you believe in the system and have faith that everybody will do their best to help make things right." At her look, he offered her a smile. "I just can't follow that. Too much has happened since we ran."

"Like what?" Ginny Weasley asked, her eyes bright.

"Well… Sirius is…"

"Wait." Ginny cut him off as she stood to join both Harry and Hermione already on their feet. "Who are Moony and Padfoot?"

"Oh. Right. Sirius is Padfoot. Remus is Moony."

"And Harry is Brightwing." Hermione finished cheekily.

Pursing his lips, Harry smirked at her. "Yep. That's how it works."

"But which is it?" Ginny spoke up. "Harry or Brightwing?"

He started laughing. "I've never been Harry Potter before. Always _cub_ or _pup_ and then finally _Brightwing_. Never just Harry Potter."

"I thought only friends and family got to call you Brightwing." Hermione reminded him of the conversation when he'd first introduced himself.

"Doesn't matter now. The nicknames were for protection… a name to use when I couldn't be Harry."

Ginny groaned as brought her hands up to the side of her head. "Are you getting as confused as I am with all of these names? Brightwing and Harry. Padfoot and Remus. Moony and Sirius."

"Actually," Hermione smiled. "Padfoot is Sirius and Moony is Remus."

Ginny turned and glared at Hermione. Harry laughed again, bringing both of them to stare at him. "At least she got me right?" As both girls suddenly began smiling, Harry felt his smile drop away. "Right?"

As Harry continued to watch them, both Hermione and Ginny were watching him carefully. Unable to control himself, Harry felt his forehead break out in beads of perspiration under their scrutiny. "What?" He asked nervously, his voice only cracking slightly.

The two looked at each other before Hermione nodded and then returned her blue eyes to his green. "Anything else we should know?"

_She asked that way too sweetly. What's going on now?_ Harry involuntarily took a step back, feeling his neck and cheeks flush in warmth. "W-What do you mean?"

"Any more secrets? Truths you want to let us know about?"

_How much do they know?_ Harry shook his head. "Like what?"

Ginny's face finally scrunched up as she let out a giggle, breaking the tension of the moment. At her laugh, Hermione looked inordinately pleased with herself and suddenly started laughing along with the girl beside her. Harry put his hands on his hips in exasperation, which only seemed to cause his two friends to continue laughing, new tears suddenly leaking from their eyes. He watched as Hermione sat back down on the low wall, as Ginny leaned over, her arms across her stomach as the laughter slowly fell down to a few escaped giggles and heavy breathing.

"Are we good now? Feel better?" Harry asked sarcastically.

Both girls nodded. Ginny held out her hand towards him as she stood upright, only the hint of her earlier smiles on her face. "I'm sorry, Brightwing… really. But we couldn't resist teasing you a little bit. You've just been so secretive, and we just wanted to be let in."

He smiled softly. "I'm sure… and I am glad that I told you, but…" He held his finger up to prevent Ginny from answering. "Knowledge is dangerous. And knowing me even more so."

"Why?" She asked.

Harry smiled at Ginny. _I could get lost in those eyes._ "Voldemort wanted me dead. He failed. I don't think that is something that he will easily get over any time soon."

"I don't understand…" Hermione said from her spot sitting down.

Harry shrugged. "Does anyone know about the prophecy?"

Both of them shook their heads negatively. Harry twisted his lips as he considered the implications of that piece of knowledge. Padfoot was right not to trust Dumbledore. Keeping his anger in check, he attempted a smile towards his friends. "Seems that Voldemort had to kill me due to me being in a prophecy about his downfall or something."

Ginny's brow furrowed in thought. "But, couldn't that have been about when he attacked you when you were a baby?"

"Moony thinks not. He often complained that Dumbledore and his followers knew more than they were willing to tell anyone else. My parents knew, but they didn't share it with the rest of them."

Hermione started to speak, but Harry's words ran over her. "We've been running for all of my life… nearly half of theirs… We've destroyed more dark wizards and evilness in the world than most people ever hear about. I've learned how to fight… to protect myself… how to hate.

"Did they consider calling others?" He shrugged slightly. "Padfoot claims they tried calling someone once before, while I was still a baby, but that led to all three of us almost getting captured. We couldn't take that chance anymore after that."

"What you said when we were playing… about no friends?" Hermione's voice sounded like she was about to break down.

Harry turned his eyes to her. _Let it be sympathy. Not pity._ "When? Where? But more to the point… why? We were moving so often, no roots to hold us down. Talk to people one day, gone somewhere new the next." He laughed, though he knew there was no humor in it. "I meant it when I said that you guys were the first real friends I've ever had."

At his words, Ginny's eyes started to well up with tears again. _Please don't cry for me, Ginny_. Not even realizing what he was doing, Harry reached his hand slowly over and carefully wiped at the corner of her left eye. It wasn't until Ginny froze at his touch, the burning of her skin against his, that Harry seemed to wake up from whatever trance he'd found himself in. Her cheeks flushed to a fiery red… and he knew that his own cheeks were close to the same.

Dumbly, he let his hand drop. "Sorry."

Ginny seemed to wake up at that moment, her eyes glistening. "No. Its okay, Harry."

_Harry. She called me Harry. I like that a lot._ "Thank you."

Ginny tilted her head to the side as she studied him. "For what?"

"You called me by my name."

Almost as if by my magic, Ginny was suddenly pressing against Harry, her arms around his neck… hugging him for all that he was worth. He was surprised for only a moment, as he eventually relaxed at the physical contact and put his own arms her, a sense of belonging and rightness filling him momentarily. _I wonder what it would be like to kiss her. _And then Hermione joined the hug, pulling both Ginny and him into a three-way hug.

There was no telling how long they stood that way. Time was meaningless for that moment. As they all broke apart, Harry smiled when he looked at the two. "So… are we good?"

Hermione brought her hand up to wipe at her eyes. "I think so."

Ginny suddenly smiled mischievously. "What if I say no?"

Harry considered her for a moment. Finally, he took off his glasses so that he could use the sleeve of shirt to wipe away any remaining traces of wetness from his eyes. He blinked several times before putting his glasses back on, the world snapping back into focus. Shaking his hair from his eyes, he returned his gaze to the young woman teasing him, his mind running in several possible directions at once.

"And what, pray tell, do I have to do to make it all good?" He finally asked, his voice playful.

Ginny considered for a moment, her finger tapping at her bottom lip while she was in thought. She looked Harry over from head to toe before staring at his eyes. Harry felt some trepidation at the intensity of her gaze. Finally, Ginny shot a quick smirk at the other girl before she walked away from him and sat daintily on the wall. _Definitely in trouble here._

"Well?"

"I want twenty questions, just like Hermione got."

"Ginny?" Hermione asked, confusion clear on her words.

Harry felt bewildered. _What?_ "That's it? Same rules as she got?" He nodded his head towards Hermione. "Okay."

Ginny was already shaking her head. "No. My rules."

"Your rules?"

She nodded.

"And they are?"

Ginny smiled sweetly. "I get twenty questions that you have to answer honestly and to my satisfaction. No passes."

"And what do I get?"

She looked up sharply. "What?"

Harry laughed, especially as Hermione was quickly bouncing her head back and forth between the two of them. "Hermione agreed to me getting twenty honest answers out of her in return."

Ginny nodded. "I can do that."

Now it was Harry's turn to shake his head. "Nope."

"What?" Ginny's face fell.

"I don't want twenty questions from you."

"Why not?"

Harry ignored the question. "I want three favors."

"What!" Both Hermione and Ginny jumped at once.

Harry looked quietly at Hermione. She took the hint and nodded, her face now showing a calculating expression. _What does she suspect I want?_ Harry wondered quietly.

"Favors?"

He wiggled his eyebrows up and down. "Wishes. You know, like a genie."

"Three… favors?" Ginny brought his gaze back to rest on her. "What three favors?"

He shrugged. "Don't know yet."

Ginny was already shaking her head. "Not a chance. My brothers are Fred and George, remember? I'm not falling for that. You get three favors from me and I agree to them?" Harry smiled at listening to her laugh. "Not a chance."

"No answers, then."

Ginny's eyes opened wide. "You won't play with me?"

Harry walked over to sit next to her, between the two girls again. "I never said I wouldn't play. More to the point, I don't have to be bound by a silly game to answer. But if you get to set terms, then so do I."

The redhead pulled back, as she looked over his face. "One favor… and I can pass if I want."

Harry grinned. "Three favors. You can pass, but I don't lose the favor… and I get to pass on one question."

Ginny glanced past his shoulder at Hermione. From behind him, Harry could hear the brunette laugh aloud. "Not a chance. I like the deal he and I came up with. You're on your own on this one, Weasley."

Harry smiled good-naturedly as he watched Ginny wrinkle her nose at Hermione, before her attention returned to him. "Two favors, but you cannot pass on the question."

"No time limit on the favors?" Harry amended.

Ginny pushed her hair over her ear. "Until Christmas."

"No chance. End of this year."

Ginny Weasley leaned back. "Do I have to ask all of the questions at one time?"

Harry started at her words. He looked up at the sky and saw that it was nearing dinner time. As if to add to his thoughts, his stomach started grumbling. "Sorry." He offered at Ginny's amused smile. He stood and started dusting at his clothes. "Twenty questions… you have to announce they are official questions… and you have until the end of the year, same as my two favors."

"Done." Ginny stuck out her hand.

At the move, Harry smiled and clasped her small hand in his. "Deal."


	14. Revealed

DISCLAIMER: All characters, places, et cetera are the sole property of J. K. Rowling.

A/N: Look! A second chapter in the same day! Seriously, I have the next four chapters pretty much written… I'm just having to go over them to make sure there aren't too many mistakes. Still looking for a Beta. We should be up to either eighteen or nineteen by this weekend… Thanks for all the reviews.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER THIRTEEN – REVEALED

_Silence._

_No. Blessed silence._

Ginny leaned her head back against the cool stone wall, ignoring the jerky movements of the ghost trying to catch her attention, as she pondered the beauty of silence. The quiet to hear one's own thoughts was easily overlooked and taken for granted when one didn't have to worry about the constant noise around them. Closing her eyes, the youngest Weasley attempted yet again to block out the fact that she was currently hiding, sitting alone in a lavatory stall in Moaning Myrtle's haunted bathroom, hoping that she had escaped the frenzied mob that had tried to pin her down so that she would have to answer questions.

Idly, she wondered if everyone else was having as much difficulty_. I hope Hermione and Luna got away. Cho, on the other hand, can just drop dead_

_But what about Cedric? Or Neville? _

_Maybe Harry got to safety._

Twisting her hair nervously, Ginny sighed quietly. Things had been going so well… and then "little Miss I'm-too-sexy-for-having-to-be-quiet" had to ruin everything. Everyone had gone nearly a month since Harry had revealed the truth. They had talked until dusk and then joined the others in the Great Hall for the evening meal that first night. Cho and Cedric had been absent, but no one had thought anything about it, especially since Luna had also stayed at her own House table. Everything relaxed after that… though Ginny remembered that Cho was not around as much. Harry had been saddened by this, but Cedric had told him not to worry.

So, they shared nearly three weeks of Harry opening up. Ginny felt her heart swell as she remembered the smiles he would share with them, the laughter that seemed to fill his eyes when he was around them.

The school still knew him as Brightwing, but that seemed inconsequential at the time. Everyone in the immediate group seemed to want to still call him that, also, as if the danger of saying his real name would bring a curse down upon them all. _Looks like maybe it did._ Only Ginny and Hermione ever called him Harry… and Ginny had noticed that Hermione said it less than she did.

_And then breakfast happened this morning._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"How many questions do you have left?" Hermione asked once they left the common room.

Ginny smiled mysteriously back at her friend as she bounded towards the stairs leading down to the Great Hall. "Come on, Hermione. I'm hungry."

"Ginny Weasley." Hermione ran after her as she ducked through the painting and out into the hallway.

Ginny couldn't help it. She was in a great mood. The sky was blue outside, she didn't have to worry about Potions class of Snape this afternoon since Professor Dumbledore had announced that classes were to be cancelled in observance of Halloween… _much_ _to Hermione's chagrin and disappointment,_ Ginny mentally added.

As they approached the steps, Hermione had pulled her to the side of the hall away from other students passing by, her voice low and conspiratorial. "Seriously. What have you asked him so far?"

Ginny stuck her tongue out at the older girl before sighing. "Nothing, yet."

She wanted to laugh as she watched the curly haired brunette's eyebrows suddenly reach the top of her head in amazement. "What?"

Shrugging, Ginny dropped her satchel on the floor next to her. "I'm not sure… It's not like I had prior notice of who he was or anything.""

Hermione's face became serious as she leaned forward. Ginny looked around to make sure no one thought that the two girls were about to kiss. No one was around, and Ginny finally looked back into her friend's blue eyes as Hermione started speaking. "I've already apologized for not telling you. You have everything you wanted. He's told us the truth. You've finagled twenty honest answers out of him for a heavy price… what are you waiting for?"

Ginny slumped against the wall. "What if he doesn't like me?"

"How can you ask something…"

"Wait, okay." Ginny held her hand up. "I've heard the story of Harry Potter my entire life. He was a hero for me and Ron." She sighed. "We used to pretend when we were little that we were his friends, off fighting the dark wizards."

Hermione's eyebrow went up silently.

The redhead nodded. "He's been a fairy tale prince for me… and now, well… he's real."

"He's not a prince, Gin." Hermione said softly. "He's just a cute boy that you like… and I'm fairly certain that he likes you, too. But as for a prince… I haven't seen any white horse, no shiny armor or suit or armor… and, let's face it, he's got less money than your family."

Ginny's eyes met Hermione's. "What are you talking about?"

Hermione tilted her head. "Harry and… and the others. They were on the run. They've never had anything." At Ginny's blank stare, Hermione leaned closer. "Haven't you noticed that he doesn't have much of anything? The school is providing everything for him. Even his robes are hand-me-downs from Merlin knows where."

Ginny reddened. "But the Blacks and Potters were two of the richest wizarding families in Britain."

"What?" Hermione squeaked. "He's rich?"

Ginny nodded. "I heard Charlie talking about it once. The Black and Potter family fortunes take up multiple vaults at Gringotts. There has been a longstanding argument that the Ministry wanted to confiscate the vaults, as they were traitors. Daddy told Mum about it…"

"Did they?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Too much danger that the Ministry could just start arresting people to take their fortunes."

Hermione quietly regarded her. "Have you told Brightwing… I mean Harry?"

Ginny frowned. "I haven't really talked with him that much… nothing important. It's like we're having to start the friendship over."

She watched as Hermione shook her head in disbelief, then stared up at the corridor's ceiling before she returned her gaze to where Ginny could see the ire that was filling them. "After everything that… You can't think… Why would you… ARGH! I'm using my bet winnings on him to deal with this."

As Hermione turned away in obvious frustration, Ginny grabbed her by the arm to hold her back, opening her mouth to protest her friend from doing anything drastic. Hermione had just enough time to turn and look at her, her face betraying that she was only listening to get Ginny to let go of her arm, when Neville came bounding up the stairs, his eyes wide in obvious panic.

All words to Hermione were forgotten. "Neville. What's wrong?"

She watched as Neville Longbottom twisted his neck, trying to find the origin of the voice that called for him. The relief that Neville's eyes held upon landing on both her and Hermione was enough to make Ginny's skin chill in worry and caused all thoughts of what a wonderful day it was to fall out of her ears.

"What's going on…?" Hermione asked.

"Great Hall… Cedric… Ron… Malfoy knows… Luna… song…"

_Ron, Cedric and Malfoy know Luna's song?_ Ginny tried to make out what her friend was saying, when the noise level within Hogwarts suddenly seemed to explode outwards everywhere. Neville seemed unsurprised, but Ginny and Hermione both found themselves moving closer to the steps to look down to the first floor. As they peered over the railing, Neville pointed towards the Great Hall.

"Merlin's beard, no…" Hermione whispered.

Ginny frowned at her friend's words, but couldn't seem to make out what was going on. _Everything's too crazy down there._ Carefully squinting her eyes, trying to make sense of what was going on, she started to make out the shapes of several students and professors… and so many more people that she didn't recognize… all seeming to be caught up in a rather heated debate about something.

Ginny felt Hermione snatch at her wrist and suddenly found herself being drug down the staircase at a breakneck pace. _What the bloody hell is going on!_ Ginny wanted to scream at her friend. As they made it down to the second floor, Hermione ran over to the railing, obviously choosing the safe vantage of being above everyone else, rather than making Ginny and her push their way into the mob down below.

"Look." Hermione commanded.

Ginny turned her eyes down to the floor below. From just a floor above, everything was still chaotic, but at least she could hear and discern who was standing where and see what was going on. As she watched the end of the scene, she ignored Neville's wheezing coughs as he finally caught up with them. She watched, instead, as Professor McGonagall, along with Flitwick and Snape, attempted to calm all of the screaming students, while some of the other professors were trying to herd off people with cameras and recording orbs towards the front entrance.

"I say again. Return to your Houses immediately. Any students found outside of their dormitories or common rooms will be subject to detention and the loss of House points." The Gryffindor Head called over the protests of the students. "Prefects! Prefects! Get these students moving now!"

"Where's Harry Potter?"

"What did Dumbledore do?"

"Why'd everyone lie to us?"

"Is Colin okay?"

"Did you know he was Harry Potter?"

"I need to go to the infirmary."

"We want Harry!"

Ginny felt the blood drain out of her face. _They knew Brightwing was Harry Potter? What had happened?_ Turning to Neville, she nearly lunged at the boy. "Neville, what happened?"

Neville's ears turned bright red as he looked around. "I-I don't know ex-exactly."

Hermione was suddenly there, her hand lightly resting on Ginny's… softly reminding Ginny that Neville wasn't the enemy. Her breath came out like a blast of air as she attempted to calm down, the sounds and cries of her fellow Hogwarts students still crying out, Harry Potter on all of their lips.

Neville shook his head sadly. "Cho came in-into the Great Hall, shouting ab-bout Brightwing being Harry Potter. I'm not-t sure how or why, but Cedric chased in after her, but it was too late."

"What else?" Hermione prompted him.

Ginny watched as he seemed to wilt. "Cedric g-grabbed her and started ar-arguing with Cho, while Luna s-s-suddenly started s-singing something about the end of the w-world or something. _Catchy tune_. But where Cedric Diggory and Cho Chang arguing might have o-once been Colin's flash for th-the week, it was old n-n-news when everybody suddenly jumped up and s-started moving towards us.

"The twins thought that Cho was pulling a prank, as Ron and some of the others in my year started making jokes about 'em being Harry Potter." Neville took a deep breath. "I thought that was bad… Brightwing was already on his feet, moving…"

"And?"

"Then things got really bad. Over hal-half of the Slytherin t-table stood up… it looked like hexes were ab-about to start getting t-thrown in every direction. B-B-Brightwing pushed at m-me to find the two of you… to warn you, I guess.

"You guess?" Hermione asked.

Neville nodded. "Last I h-heard before m-making it past Cho and Cedric, Draco was scr-screaming about Harry Potter being a t-t-traitor and that no one was going to s-stand for his being here at the school. Then the f-fighting broke out."

"Fighting?"

Neville nodded, no trace of a stutter anywhere in his words. "Harry started shielding when several Slytherin pulled wands out. Professors were screaming for order. The hexes bounced off of his shields and hit students randomly."

Ginny dropped her hands as she forlornly looked over her shoulder at the mass of students still clamoring to be heard, while the teachers were still attempting to restore some type of peace. _Doesn't look like it's going to let down anytime soon. _Hermione and Neville started whispering behind her as she felt her eyes widen at the chaos below.

"… Harry… "

She turned away from the guard railing next to the staircase and glanced back at her two friends. "What about Harry?"

Hermione glanced over at her before her eyes darted back to Neville. Ginny followed her gaze as the brown haired boy moved his eyes away from Ginny's face, almost as if afraid of what he was about to say. "Well?" She pushed.

Neville sighed. "I would have thought things might have calmed down since then, but maybe not…" His cheeks flamed red. "Professor Dumbledore yelled for everyone to stop what they were doing, but I kept going… I promised Brightwing I'd find you."

Hermione smiled beautifully at Neville and Ginny patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you, Neville."

Ginny was about to gesture for them to move out of the way, as several students were beginning to break away from the mob and to follow the orders of the faculty and prefects, when a sudden flash of light momentarily blinded Ginny. As she blinked away the stars that filled her vision, she felt someone pull at her from behind_. Someone just took our picture!_

"Ginny! Hermione! Go… reporters!" Luna's voice suddenly called from below in warning.

"Run! Go!" Neville suddenly yelled at them, taking their friend's warning to heart. Ginny froze in place as she suddenly felt the floor begin to shake as the footsteps of a multitude of students were coming closer. Instinct finally kicked in… _the fight or flight reflex, definitely flight in this case_, as Ginny turned to find that it was Hermione pulling at her. _That's twice now just this morning_, she exclaimed in her head.

Behind them, a mob of reporters and cameras started rushing towards them. It had looked like they might almost escape, but there had been just too many of them.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Ginny wiped her face with the crumpled tissue she had gripped in her small hands. She shook her head as she remembered the suddenness of being pulled in so many different directions… and not all of it was from students. Camera flashes were going off everywhere, while recording orbs were thrust in front of her, all asking about the Boy-Who-Vanished… were they friends, had she known the truth… was he a good kisser.

Even now, hours later, Ginny felt her face redden… just as it had earlier. _ The things that people called out. If Mum sees that, I am going to be grounded until after Daddy retires_. And there had been no escape. Hermione had been pulled in another direction. _They were all alone._

Professor Hagrid, of all people, had been the one to save her. Ginny looked to the rough cut ceiling in the bathroom and thanked the stars above for the former Care of Magical Creatures professor that had come to her rescue. One minute, there was a crowd of people all over the place, the next; Hagrid had pushed them all out of the way. Without a word, but she could remember the apologetic frown he gave her, he had lifted her tiny body atop his massive shoulders and had moved through the mass of students and reporters and Merlin knew who else.

_Where had Hagrid come from anyway_, Ginny thought suddenly. She remembered that Hagrid had vanished before the school year ended last year and the substitute teacher, Professor Grubby-Plank, had stayed on through this year_. I wonder where he's been?_

Once out of sight from the crowd, Hagrid had set Ginny down in a second floor corridor, one she thankfully recognized right away, and had exclaimed something about going to find someone else.

Which left Ginny Weasley here, still hiding in the lavatory, hoping that order had been restored.

"Ginny?" A voice called suddenly, echoing eerily along the stone walls.

For a moment, Ginny felt panic. _They've found me. What am I going to do? _She considered a hex… _maybe my Bat-Bogey Hex?_ When the door to the stall she was hiding in suddenly pulled open. Unable to hold it back any longer, Ginny let out a shriek at her hiding place being discovered.

"Ginny?"

"We're here, sis."

"Relax. We've come…"

"To take you back…"

"Where you belong."

Fred and George… or maybe George and Fred, stood there, an old parchment in their hands, as they moved to pull her into a hug. She felt tears filling her eyes once more at being safe. "I'm so glad to se you both. Oh, thank you, thank you…"

She could feel the tenseness and wonder in her brothers' postures, but she didn't care. They were prats, for sure, but she wasn't going to let a little thing like sibling rivalry get between her and safety… not when she had no clue about where Harry was… much less any of their other friends.

"Ah, ah, sis…" Fred laughed. "Don't go all birdy on us now. We gotta get you out of here."

"And somewhere safe." George completed.

"The common room." They said together.

Ginny pulled back from the hug and smiled at them. _I must look a wreck._ Silently, she stood and used the tissue to wipe at her eyes one last time before tossing it into the toilet. She turned to smirk at her two brothers. "I could've been going to the loo, you know."

Fred grinned. "You've been sitting there for near on an hour, Gin Gin."

"You were either hiding…" George started.

"Or you tried some of Dad's cooking again." Fred added. "And the memory of what he tried cooking when Mum was sick last summer should have been enough of a clue to prevent that from ever happening again."

It had the desired effect, as Ginny started giggling softly. She watched as both of her brothers seemed to relax at hearing her laugh. She gestured for the two of them to move, allowing her to escape the cramped space of the stall… no longer big enough, especially not when she considered her brothers were standing there staring at her.

As they moved, she caught her reflection in the mirror, her eyes going wide.

"What?" Fred turned, his eyes scanning for trouble.

"There's nothing…" George complained as he scanned the parchment he was currently holding.

Both suddenly turned to stare at her, their faces clueless. Ginny pointed at her reflection. "I look like an Irish banshee." The twins suddenly smiled as they pulled Ginny's bag from behind them. Ginny squealed and grabbed at it quickly. "How did you find this? I… where was it?"

Fred nodded to George, as George moved to act as lookout while Fred stayed close. "It was up by the Fat Lady. We knew something was wrong when we saw it, but then everyone started going crazy… something about Harry Potter in the school."

Ginny chose not to answer and instead pulled at her hair with the hairbrush. The Ginny in the mirror rolled her eyes… _definitely need to get cleaned up soon. I look a fright. _

"Ginny?" George's voice pulled her gaze across the out-of-order bathroom to the other twin, still glancing down at the paper in his hand. _What is that thing?_ "Yes?"

"Brightwing really is Harry Potter?" 

She sighed as she gave herself another quick glance in the mirror. Satisfied that she at least looked presentable enough to make it to the Gryffindor Tower, Ginny put the hairbrush and skin charm back in her bag. _Harry! Forgive me, but I think the damage is already done._

Looking between the two brothers, Ginny nodded. "Yeah. Brightwing is actually Harry Potter."

"And you've known all this time?" Fred sounded offended.

Ginny glanced over at him. "Don't act all smarmy. And no, I didn't know until he told me and some of the others a few weeks back."

George's skin seemed to flush as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly. Finally, he glanced at his mirror image, who finally seemed to understand what he wanted asked. "Why didn't you tell anyone, sis?"

"Like who? You two?" At their nods, Ginny barked out a quick laugh. "Really. Up until just recently, you've done nothing but torment and prank him… all because he was my friend. You let Ron, your _younger_ brother I might mention by the way, dictate to you who I could and could not associate with. Bloody 'ell, did you really expect me to go running to you with the biggest secret anyone has ever trusted me with since Bill told me how to hex the two of you?"

With each passing word, her voice had increased an octave. By the time she had finished, she had found herself to be yelling at them in a voice reminiscent of their mother. _When did I start channeling Mum?_

It wasn't without a small bit of satisfaction that she saw that each of her brothers looked shamefaced, apparently embarrassed for their conduct and overall attitude towards her friend. _Figures, though, that it wouldn't be until Brightwing was Harry Potter, boy extraordinaire and hero to the modern wizarding world._

She waited, trying to give the twins enough time to come up with a suitable reply. Time seemed to tick along merrily, and still they said nothing, only occasionally meeting her unwavering gaze, before they would look down or at one another.

_Fine. Boys are such cowards. _ Jutting her chin towards the strange parchment in her brother's hands, she offered an olive branch and changed the subject. "What is that?"

At first, Fred and George seemed reluctant to even acknowledge what she had asked about, before George finally flushed a deeper red than she'd ever seen and looked to Fred. Fred sighed and turned the parchment around for her to look at.

_It's a map. A map… of the school… and…_ "By Merlin's curly toes!" She suddenly exclaimed. "Is that really…?"

Fred and George both grinned, the mischief back in their eyes. "The secret to our illustrious success, sister of ours. This is the Marauder's Map. It shows everyone in the castle. Period. No escaping it…"

"Well," George suddenly amended. "Not until now."

"Right." Fred picked up the thought. "Not until Harry Potter."

Ginny quirked her eyebrow in question. "What does the map have to do with Harry?"

"Everything." Fred retorted. "He's been bloody Brightwing since the beginning of the school year…"

"Until today, when the name Brightwing vanished and Harry Potter appeared."

Ginny was dumbfounded. "I don't understand…"

Both twins shrugged simultaneously. The effect could be unnerving. "This map was created by the greatest pranksters in Hogwarts history. It has never,"

"And we mean never…"

"Failed us in any way. But somehow, Harry Potter bypassed it."

George let out an exaggerated sigh. "Misters Moony, Padfoot, Prongs and Wormtail would be highly upset… just as we are."

"Wait!" Ginny interrupted before the twins could finish their shared thought. "Padfoot? Moony? Wormtail?"

Both of her brothers nodded.

_I've got to tell Harry about this! A map made by his uncles… and that ruddy traitor, Pettigrew._ Looking up at her brothers, trying to keep her emotions from showing on her face, she smiled at both of them with her best innocent little girl stance. "Where's Harry now?"

Fred grinned as they both looked at the map. "Uhm… Headmaster's office. Looks like all the House Heads are there, too."

_Damn._ "Get me back to the common room. Now, please."


	15. No Answer to the Question

_DISCLAIMER: All property owned by J.K. Rowling. I own nothing but a pair of socks that even Dobby would have refused._

_A/N: I have to offer my thanks once again to everyone that has been reading and reviewing. Your reviews and support have pushed me to work harder at moving this story all along. I'm still on track to have up to chapter eighteen or nineteen by this weekend._

_Oh, and before I forget… this one goes out to Twisteddagger for pointing out that I wrote Lockley instead of Lockhart back at the beginning. I'll add more later.._

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CHAPTER FOURTEEN – NO ANSWER TO THE QUESTION

"Headmaster," Professor Snape's voice seemed to ooze into Harry's ears, staining his very soul by their presence. "As I counseled previously, trying to hide Mr. Potter's identity, while laudable, has now created a problem of epic proportions."

"It pains me to say, Professor, but I must concur with Severus." The diminutive Ravenclaw Head sighed. "I would expect owls by the hundreds before noon tomorrow, all threatening to yank their children out of school." At Dumbledore's stare, Flitwick shrugged. "The threat of Pettigrew and Lupin still out there will be too much."

Harry watched as Dumbledore took the half-moon glasses off of his nose and set them carefully down onto the desk in front of him.

Everyone was now back in the Headmaster's office. Everything was as cluttered as he remembered it, books and parchments and everything else imaginable strewn about the shelves and the floor. Harry was currently in one of the chairs in the corner. Sure, the conversation taking place was about him, but as of yet, he'd not been allowed to add anything to it.

_Breakfast had been a disaster. Damn, Cho!_ Harry nearly spat aloud. _Why did she do that? _

He and Neville had been sitting at the table, eating breakfast. No one else but Luna Lovegood of their immediate friends had been in the Great Hall, but neither of them had worried since it was still early. Harry sighed as he remembered Neville saying something about all of them going towards the pitch and seeing if they could ride on a broom or something. He'd never ridden a broom, so when the brown haired boy had brought it up, Harry had been excited.

The excitement had changed drastically however, when suddenly Cho _bloody_ Chang had walked into the Great Hall and announced at the top of her voice that Brightwing was actually Harry Potter in disguise.

_Pandemonium_, Harry grimaced at the memory_. If Dumbledore hadn't gotten me out of there when he did, things would have gotten so much worse._

"This was more of a disaster than the Valentine fiasco with Lockhart." Professor McGonagall's voice cut through his private thoughts. Harry glanced up and watched as the Heads of each House began arguing and shouting at one another.

"Who's Professor Lockhart?" Harry asked. _I remember Cedric on the train talking about a Lockley dueling club a few years back … I wonder if it's the same person? Lockley Lockhart, maybe?_

Flitwick scowled over at him… apparently for daring to speak while adults were in the room. Harry shook his head in disgust and leaned back in the chair that had been provided for him_. Padfoot and Moony wouldn't have dismissed me._

"I appreciate all of your concerns." Dumbledore's voice finally cut off all of the others in the room. "But I must stand with my earlier decision. Harry Potter will remain at Hogwarts."

"Headmaster," Snape moved out of the shadows and closer to the center of the room. Harry watched as the man's black eyes rested on him briefly, his lip curling in obvious disgust, before returning to the elderly wizard behind the desk. "Parents will push for added security. I know your… reasoning for… having young Mr. Potter here, but some of the children's parents are quite influential with the Ministry."

Flitwick nodded. "Not to mention that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was resurrected thanks to the three traitors and the other Death Eaters…" He shook his head. "This year's class was already smaller than it has been in over three decades."

"Albus, you must consider the children." Professor McGonagall's voice was almost pleading.

"And what would you have me do, Minerva?" The Headmaster replied. Harry noticed that the phoenix sitting behind him jerked at his words. "Shall we just throw our Mr. Potter to the Ministry?" Harry gulped as the Headmaster, as well as the other four professors, turned to look at him. "He would make history again… the youngest to ever be sentenced to Azkaban."

Professor Sprout's lips pressed tight as she looked Harry over before turning back to stare at the others. "I won't give up any child over to the Dementors."

"A noble sentiment, indeed." The Slytherin Head sneered. "What do you propose instead? Just send him back to class with a pat on the head… never minding the disruption that this has caused?"

Harry felt his anger rising at the Potion Master's words, but wisely stayed put, especially since both the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall were both still watching him carefully. _Why do they talk about me like I'm not even here? It's not like I was the one who announced the secret… and I sure ruddy hell didn't get the reporters to break into the school. They couldn't just leave me and Moony and Padfoot alone, could they?_

"What do you want, Harry?" Dumbledore's voice suddenly cut through all arguments and discussions. Harry looked up at the Headmaster and realized that the room was now completely silent, as each one of the teachers in the room had once again made him the object of their meticulous scrutiny.

Harry sighed as he sat up in the chair. "Why ask me?"

"Mr. Potter!" McGonagall snapped, her eyes flashing dangerously.

"You see, Headmaster?" Snape gestured to where Harry was sitting. "This is what you have willingly put under your protection. He is nothing but trouble, just as I warned you."

"Severus, please." Dumbledore replied, his voice betraying the emotion that his face hid so well. "Harry is here for many reasons, many of which you are privy to and many that you are not. While I agree that the method by which the information got out was not at all what I expected or wanted, I am glad that there are no more secrets."

_No more secrets!_ Harry opened his mouth to respond angrily, but the elderly wizard looked directly at him, effectively freezing him in place. At the silent command, he sighed and reclined in the chair, waiting to see what was next.

Professor Dumbledore stood, the wrinkles in his garish gold and silver robes seeming to vanish of their own accord. "Have we found out how the Daily Prophet got word?"

Harry watched as Professor Flitwick suddenly looked embarrassed. "It was my student. Cho Chang. Apparently, she somehow learned of Mr. Brightwing's actual identity and…"

"I told her." Harry admitted, interrupting the short man.

At the admission, the professors all turned and looked at him.

"You see, Headmaster?" Snape's voice was like venom. "He disregards every…"

"It was upon my recommendation that Harry inform his friends as to his actual identity, Severus."

At Dumbledore's words, even Professor McGonagall looked startled. "Albus? But… but the panic…."

He was once again the elderly, slightly senile old grandfather. Harry wasn't fooled for a second. "My dear Minerva. Secrets can only last for so long before even the walls start whispering them. I knew that our young Mr. Potter would soon find himself in such a predicament, though I must admit to being rather shocked at the other students… especially for Miss Chang."

At the name, Flitwick shook his head before looking up at the headmaster that towered over him. "I do apologize, Professor. If I had been aware of her knowing, I might have been more curious as to the sudden arrival of so many owls for her over the past few days."

"Owls?" Professor Sprout inquired.

Flitwick nodded. "Yes. From what I have been able to gather in the time made available, it seems that Miss Chang informed her family as to knowing the whereabouts of Harry Potter."

"Oh, dear." McGonagall looked at the Headmaster before retuning her gaze to the Ravenclaw Professor.

"Oh, dear, indeed." The short man sighed. "Apparently, Miss Chang and her family sold the story and the location, as well as his alternate identity, of Harry Potter to the Daily Prophet."

"And how was Mr. Diggory involved?" Professor Sprout asked. At her question, Harry glanced up, definitely interested.

"If I may?" Professor Snape suddenly spoke. "I have already determined that there was a fight taking place outside of the Great Hall before all of the… chaos... began. It seems that our resident Tri-Wizard hero had learned of Miss Chang's duplicity and became agitated."

Harry snorted. _Agitated?_ He ignored the dark look that the Potions Master shot his way. "I deducted twenty points from both students for their behavior in the hallway. You can check the records, if you like. It was there that I overheard some of what was going on."

"But… but… you might have stopped…"

Snape was already shaking his head at the Hufflepuff professor. "I had no idea of her intentions at that point. It was only after the fact that, along with the knowledge that has now been presented, that I find the earlier argument even worth remembering."

Harry smiled.

Dumbledore leaned back on the lip of his desk, his eyes thoughtful. "We will determine appropriate punishments for all that has occurred later. Right this instant, we need to determine how the reporters were able to enter Hogwarts… that cannot be forgiven…" He turned and smiled at Harry. "… as well as what we are ultimately going to do with young Mr. Potter."

Harry grinned cheekily. "Let me go?"

"Mr. Potter!" Snape's pale face suddenly had color. "That will be twenty poi…"

"Severus." McGonagall's voice cut into the Slytherin Professor's tirade. "As Mr. Potter is in MY House, I will deal with his attitude and deal out any punishments that I deem fit."

Harry watched as Professor Snape's expression came close to one of someone drinking too many doses of Pepper-Up Potion all at once. You'd almost expect steam to start blowing out of his ears.

"Now then," McGonagall turned to him. "Please watch your tone, Mr. Potter. The Headmaster has asked you a very serious question… and I, for one, would very much like your honest opinion. It will be, as you should know, of greatest consequence to your friends and yourself what we decide her today."

"My friends?" Harry felt a chill start running along his spine. _ I didn't even think about them. _"Everyone's okay, right?"

Professor Dumbledore nodded sagely. "They are fine, Harry. There was never any concern for their safety, though I think that Misses Granger and Weasley are both glad to be back in their rooms rather than in the hallways."

Harry let out a breath that he hadn't even realized he'd been holding. Feeling the cool rush of air back in his lungs, he looked at all of the teachers before him, finally settling his gaze on the Headmaster. "Can you let Sirius go?"

The teachers all looked at Dumbledore, Snape's expression alone was enough to give Harry a sense of satisfaction, as the elderly man pressed his lips to a thin line. "No, Harry. Sirius Black is under the authority of the Ministry of Magic, specifically Minister Fudge. I am afraid that there will be no chance of allowing Mr. Black to go free at this time."

"But he's innocent."

At Snape's sneer, Harry shot the vampiric looking professor a look full of contempt before returning to look at the Headmaster. He decided to ignore the stern look of disappointment that Professor McGonagall sent his way. "How about pardoning Remus Lupin?"

Again, Dumbledore just stood there, looking at Harry. "That, too, is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry, Harry."

"Fine. What can you do?"

"Mr. Potter!"

"No, Minerva." Albus Dumbledore interrupted another tongue-lashing from the Gryffindor Head of House. "Harry is quite right to be vexed. I have asked him what he has wanted three times now, and each response was refused. I, too, would be quite upset."

At his words, Harry felt his anger lessoning slightly_. At least the man admits that he's in the wrong_. _This time, at least._ Harry watched as the powerful wizard reached behind himself and pulled a dish off of his desk. Seeming to ignore everyone else in the room, the elderly wizard began picking through various candies. "Would you like something, Harry? A gumdrop, perhaps? Maybe a licorice stick?"

_The man is an absolute fool._ Harry sighed. "What happens now?" At the man's questioning look, he tilted his head. "It's too late to start throwing memory charms around… so, I ask, what do I do now?"

"Exactly what I asked you when we met in this office." Dumbledore smiled. "I want you to learn."

"And just what exactly is it that you think I'm going to learn here that I couldn't out with Sirius and Remus?"

Dumbledore opened his mouth to reply, his blue eyes sparkling, when a commotion began to break out in the outer chamber of his office. Harry turned in his chair to glance at the door, but was motioned to remain seated as Professors Flitwick and Snape quickly moved to the office's only apparent entrance and checked the door. Both had their wands at the ready.

As Flitwick turned the knob, the door suddenly slammed open, pushing both Snape and Flitwick back into the office towards the other professors. He would have laughed at their expressions, but the impending hard wood about to slam into him was enough to rid him of his mirth. Harry jumped as the door slammed into the chair he was sitting in, effectively cutting him off from the rest of the room.

"Minister!" Dumbledore scolded.

"I'm 'orry dere Prof'ser." A deep voice grumbled from the other side of the door. Harry glanced through the sliver of space between the door and its hinges, only to find a gigantic man filling his entire line of vision. ""Ee got pas' me.,. 'ee did…"

"That's quite all right, Hagrid." Dumbledore waved his hand negligently. "If you could try and make sure that all of the reporters have left the school grounds…"

"Right 'way, Prof'ser."

Harry watched as the giant nodded and moved out of his line of sight. _Who was that? What was that?_ With the shadow gone, Harry started to lean over to the other edge of the chair to catch a glimpse of the room. As he started moving, Professor McGonagall was suddenly standing in front of him, effectively blocking him from seeing the rest of the room's occupants… as well as cutting off their view of him.

Harry smiled as he considered the craftiness of his Transfigurations Professor. _They're hiding me? No. Protecting me…_

"Dumbledore." The new man in the room started to speak, but was immediately cut off.

"Minister Fudge. To what do we owe this unexpected visit?"

Harry listened as he heard papers being thrown about. "Have you seen the headlines? Do you know what the Daily Prophet is claiming?"

"I'm sorry, Minister, but I seldom read about the news." The Headmaster's voice seemed kind and gentle. "Too often have I read my own name in some article and found myself unable to remember having ever been a part of what they were suggesting."

Harry had to hold back a laugh with both hands as Cornelius Fudge, the current Minister, began sputtering at the older wizard's words. "How can you be so cavalier about this? This special morning edition of the paper has been out less than one hour and the Ministry is already covered in Owls. There's talk about protests."

"Protests?" Flitwick's voice carried over to Harry. "For what?"

The Minister sounded offended. "Everyone wants to see Harry Potter. Rumours have already begun that the Ministry has had him all along, and that's causing our officials more trouble than can be immediately handled."

Harry listened while several of his professors started mumbling. He looked up when he heard a whispered phrase or two coming from Professor McGonagall, but he immediately dismissed the idea. Some of the phrases sounded too close to what Padfoot said when trouble was coming.

"And what would you have me do, Minister?" Dumbledore's voice cut through everyone else's low conversation.

"I think it best that you return Harry Potter to the Ministry. This attempt of yours, while noble, is at an end." Harry felt his body go still. "I can provide the very best mental care at St. Mungo's, as well as many of the Heads of several different Departments to help him understand what has really been going on these past fourteen years."

"Really going on?" Flitwick's voice retorted.

"And just what do you think has been going on recently, Minister?" McGonagall had gone very still. Harry was suddenly very relieved that she was standing between him and Fudge.

"Really, Professor." Cornelius began. "Don't tell me that you're caught up in all of this conspiracy nonsense as well?"

"What nonsense would that be?" Even blocked from view, Harry could tell that Dumbledore's eyes had gone cold. Nobody sounded that harsh and still came across as harmless.

"I-I know that you've got people looking… lo-looking into Black's statement. Looking into what that Potter boy has been saying." The Minister's voice cracked before he kept going. "I just do not understand why. You know as well as I do that Black and the others are all guilty. It was your own testimony that sentenced the three of them to either death or life at Azkaban."

Harry's vision went dark as he listened to the Minister's words. _Dumbledore's testimony? What are they talking about?_

"Minister. While I do so enjoy these unexpected visits, I am afraid that I cannot discuss this with you at this time." Harry only halfway listened as Fudge tried to interrupt, but the Headmaster kept talking. "As for Harry Potter, I have no intention of letting the Ministry take him. Not now. And without conclusive reasoning, possibly not ever."

"You have no right to…"

"I have every right." Dumbledore's voice held only a touch of warmth. "Now, you go do your job and let me and mine do ours."

"How dare you." Minister Fudge hissed. "I am well within my prevue under the Laws of Magic. Harry Potter is a ward of the Ministry and therefore, I, as current Minister, have final say over where he will and will not go. And he will not stay here any longer."

"That's actually incorrect, Minister." Dumbledore's voice was again like ice. "Harry Potter's legal guardian is his godfather, Sirius Black. The fact that you have Black in custody in no way violates his rights in such a matter. In fact, the only way to remove him from the position would be for Harry Potter himself to choose to do so."

"Not if Black died." Harry started to move, but a quick glance from McGonagall kept him quiet and in his place. _How dare that man! He threatened Padfoot!_

If the Headmaster was shocked by the Minister's threats, Harry couldn't tell by his voice. "True, but then I'd have to hand Mr. Potter to his surviving relatives, Vernon and Petunia Dursley. Lily Potter's sister and brother-in-law."

"What!" Fudge practically screamed. "Turn Harry Potter over to… to… Muggles?"

"Not I, Minister." Dumbledore's words were mocking. "You were the one that decided to discuss the law. You are right that I cannot stop you from upholding the law… but I wonder if you are ready to follow it to the end."

"No. No." Fudge finally spoke after a few moments of silence.

"Good." Dumbledore responded quickly. "Now, as I can only assume that you want to keep our previous agreement standing, then I wonder if there is anything else you might wish to discuss?"

There was the sound of shuffling feet. Harry tried to find a vantage around McGonagall's robes, but she seemed to anticipate his every attempt. Frustrated, Harry leaned back and waited.

"Headmaster…"

"It's quite all right, Minister." Dumbledore's voice was slowly getting warmer. "I have much to deal with, not the least of which is how to calm the school down, and I know that you are a busy man…. Perhaps we shou…"

Harry was unable to hear much more as Professor Dumbledore and Minister Fudge went out the door, their voices vanishing once the heavy wooden door was finally closed.

When Professor McGonagall finally moved, allowing Harry access to the room once again, he was surprised to find that the entire room was empty but for the two of them… well, and Fawkes, too. Knowing his eyes were wide, he turned to find the Head of his House looking down at him.

"I am sorry, Mr. Potter, that you had to hear some of that."

"But…" At her look, Harry closed his mouth.

"However. I am sure that the Headmaster will be more than happy to speak with you later on when time becomes available."

_Time for him or me?_ Harry sighed. "So, what happens now?"

Professor McGonagall smiled down at him. "Now you get to officially introduce Harry Potter to everyone else."

_Great._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Echoes from the footsteps that bounced along the wide, stone hallway were the only sounds in the otherwise eerily quiet corridor as Professor McGonagall escorted him to the Gryffindor tower. Harry turned to catch a glimpse of the stern woman, her lips compressed into a thin line. He watched as her eyes scanned every nook and cranny of the walls, penetrating deep into the shadows.

"Is everything okay?" Harry whispered.

At the sound of his voice, Professor Minerva McGonagall turned and smiled slightly. "I apologize if I seem upset at you, Mr. Brigh… Mr. Potter. Sometimes even your professor can be a silly old woman. There was no cause to actually hold you responsible."

_Huh?_ Harry lifted his eyebrows.

The Transfiguration Professor sighed as she slowed her pace. "I dislike chaos, Mr. Potter. I like for Hogwarts to be a school or order and discipline. A place for true learning."

Harry watched as she smiled genuinely. "Today was definitely not an orderly day."

"And just think, its not even lunch time yet." Harry answered cheekily.

The older witch nodded. "Yes. It's easy to forget with all of the hallways and classrooms so quiet."

"How did the reporters get inside the grounds?"

The teacher glanced at him before resuming her scrutiny of the area around them. _I wonder if I should tell her that I can tell that we're alone._ "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. I do not have an answer to that right now."

At Harry's look, she smiled as she continued. "I will let you know that there are not any left in the castle's walls… and I doubt that there will be any more any time soon."

Harry nodded and decided to change the subject. "What will happen to everyone involved in the… fiasco in the Great Hall?"

McGonagall seemed reluctant to speak. Finally, she sighed. "Professor Snape is meeting with the Headmaster right now."

"And Cho?"

"I am not sure. Professor Flitwick will of course determine any final punishments, though the Headmaster may want some say in the matter as it was far reaching and affected the entire school. Also, as the offense was against you, and House Gryffindor, I am sure that I will have some say in the matter. Why?"

Harry shrugged. At the older woman's look, he flushed slightly. "I want to know why she did it… I'm not sure I buy that it was about money."

McGonagall stared at him for a moment. "Perhaps we can find that out for you, Mr. Potter."

He smiled as they continued walking. "At least one positive thing came from all of this?"

"And that would be?"

Snorting, Harry looked at his Transfiguration Professor directly. "No more hiding what I can do."

She tilted her head as she considered him. "You've been holding back?"

Ignoring the tone of disapproval, he grinned. "Oh, yeah."

The two of them continued down the hallway until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, the not-so-hidden entrance into the Gryffindor Tower and common room. The woman in the painting looked very smug as she carried on a conversation with another portrait to her left.

"Ahem." Professor McGonagall vainly attempted to gain the Lady's attention. Seeing that she was being ignored, Professor McGonagall cleared her throat again, only to have the Fat Lady hold up a finger to tell the Deputy Headmistress to wait.

Harry smothered a smile behind his hand as the Fat Lady continued to ignore the Head of Gryffindor, until Professor McGonagall began politely discussing with Harry the idea of a different portrait to guard the tower… the Fat Lady then practically falling all over herself to quickly open the door.

As Harry turned to go through the portrait, he felt the teacher's hand rest on his shoulder briefly. Turning up to look at the woman, Harry was startled to see a look of compassion on her face. "Good luck, Mr. Potter."


	16. Trick or Treat

A/N: I'm not sure that I like this chapter… trying to get certain things going from point A to point B. I hope you're not too critical of this one.

DISCLAIMER: Do I really need to keep telling you who this belongs to?

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CHAPTER FIFTEEN – TRICK OR TREAT

"I just do not bloody believe it!" Hermione flinched back as Ginny's brother continued to rant across the Common Room. "Harry-bleeding-Potter is on my team. We can't lose! Call it, mates. It's over!"

Things had been tough when Hermione and Neville had finally been ushered to safety by Professor Shacklebolt after the chaos from earlier, though things had been almost as intense inside the only place in Hogwarts that she had considered her refuge for the past four years. Neville had been immediately swarmed by the other boys in his year, pulling him into the privacy of their dormitory, most likely to interrogate him regarding Brightwing… _No. He was Harry Potter now. The-Boy-Who-Vanished._

Without the support of her friend, Hermione had then been nearly attacked by many of the other students, each trying to find out as much personal information about the newest celerity as they could. Patil and Brown had been two of the most insistent, though Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet had also been there to keep her from escaping. Hermione could still remember the near feeling of claustrophobia as she had been manhandled. Almost unconsciously, she had sought out Ginny for support… but the young redhead had been nowhere to be found.

Hermione had endured nearly an hour of questions… questions that she refused to answer, personal information that Harry had given to them in trust, before any type of relief had appeared. First, Neville had been brought back to the main room, his eyes looking like they carried the weight of the world. Others had turned to start in on him, but Seamus and Dean had informed everyone that they had no information, that Neville wasn't talking.

Then Ginny had finally made it, the Fat Lady swinging inward at her arrival, but no one had dared approach her as she was protectively flanked by Fred and George. _The look in their faces enough to cow even the most stouthearted Gryffindor_. Hermione had sought Ginny's eye as soon as she had appeared, but her friend kept her expression closed. _I wonder what happened?_

Hermione shook her head softly as she cringed back into the shadows, hoping to hide from being further accosted by her schoolmates. Hermione felt somewhat mollified that many of the other Gryffindors… practically all of them, were still crowded on the lower level of the tower were backing away from Ron.

Ronald Weasley. She couldn't really recall when it had begun… the youngest of Ginny's brothers had to have been there all along, but it wasn't until the inquiries and please for information had calmed that she realized that the lanky redheaded boy was running around like he'd been offered all the gold in Gringotts. _Amazing that just last night, he'd been treating Harry like a leper…_

Glancing over to the other end of the room, Hermione hoped to finally catch Ginny's attention, but the year younger girl was still hiding her face in her arms, ignoring her brother's antics. Fred and George seemed so serious, their hands protectively near their wands, the silent threat there for anyone that would dare interrupt their sister's quiet time. Every once in a while, one of the twins would point at a piece of paper that they held in front of Ginny.

"Oh, Give it over, Ron." Seamus Finnegan finally exploded, his face nearly as red as the hair of his friend across from him. "You didn't even want to be near Brightwing…"

"Not Brightwing, mate. Harry Potter." The self-satisfied smile was enough that Hermione wanted to stalk across the room and smack it off of his smug face.

Seamus seemed ready to respond, his eyes rolling, when Ginny suddenly stood, pulling Hermione's attention from the heated conversation between the two boys. Fred and George had both stood at either side of their sister, the gaze of all three moving to the portrait on the tower's only entrance.

As if they knew exactly what to expect, the Fat Lady suddenly pushed open and Professor McGonagall stepped into the room, her eyes sweeping over all of the students, her lips pressed into a thin line. The room fell silent… all but for Ron and Seamus who seemed oblivious to the changed mood of the room. As their psuedo-argument continued, the Gryffindor Head simply waited, her eyes going hard. Eventually, the two boys seemed to finally catch on that something in the room had changed. As they glanced about the common area, each had the decency to pale and then flush bright red.

Once the Transfiguration Professor had the room's complete attention, she sighed, her hands pressing and smoothing at the pleats of her robes. "Let me begin by saying that, for the most part," Her eyes seemed to fall directly on Ron and Seamus at her pause. "I am very proud of each of you."

Hermione felt herself release a breath that she hadn't realized she had been holding. She glanced over at Ginny before returning to give her attention to the older witch as she continued speaking. "The unfortunate events of this morning are still being dealt with, so while there will still be a Halloween celebration, the Headmaster has requested that everyone remain in their House until dinner tonight."

The room seemed to release a collective sigh as there were suddenly many whispers regarding how the rest of the day was going to go. Professor McGonagall quickly cleared her throat, commanding silence once again. "The noontime meal will be brought here and you will have the afternoon to yourselves as classes have been dismissed until tomorrow morning."

"Professor?" Lee Jordan raised his hand.

McGonagall frowned as she shook her head negatively. "As for the cause of today's… excitement. Yes, the young man you have known since the beginning of term as Brightwing is actually Harry Potter." She held her hand up to prevent the questions that all started to bubble out from the students all around. "This was under the direction and advice of Professor Dumbledore."

"But, Professor…?"

"I'm sorry, but I am not answering questions right now. "I need for each of you to understand that there is no danger for having Harry Potter at school. Yes, there will most likely be added security and precautions after today's events, but everything will return to normal as soon as possible."

Hermione quirked her eyebrow at the idea of added security. _Is this about Harry's uncles? Or could it be You-Know-Who?_

"Now, I expect each of you to treat young Mr. Potter with dignity and respect. Remember that you Gryffindors, and act accordingly." As she took the time to look at each student, Hermione smiled as each boy and girl in the room nodded back. Once she was finished, the Professor finally smiled.

_Is that it?_ Hermione started to feel cheated, when a shadow from behind McGonagall seemed to move. The entire room seemed to rock back on its heels as Harry Potter stepped up to stand next to the Deputy Headmistress. She felt her heart go out immediately to him at the look he gave the room.

She had just been talking to him last night before going to bed, she and Neville and Ginny and Harry. They had talked about classes from that day, no weight or pressure of the world around them. He had been relaxed, easily laughing and, to Hermione's delight, carefully watching Ginny whenever he thought he could study her unobserved. _They were so right for one another._

_But that boy was gone._ All she could think of was the first time she had ever seen Harry, his silence and solitude intruded upon on the Hogwarts Express… the tightness and pain and… and arrogance that filled his eyes. _He's already planning to be alone again!_ That was who stood next to the Head of Gryffindor. _Damn Cho Chang!_

"Do you need anything, Mr. Potter?"

Hermione watched as Harry shook his head silently. The gray-haired witch nodded curtly before turning without another word and leaving the common room.

Awkward silence seemed to suddenly fill the emptiness that Professor McGonagall left behind at her exit. Hermione spared only a quick glance to Ginny and Neville, before she found herself on her feet and moving quickly over to Harry.

"Harry." She rushed over and stood before him, his eyes meeting hers challengingly. Unwilling to let him retreat away, she reached out and grabbed his chin, jerking his face to hers. "Don't shut me out, Harry Potter, or I'll never answer any questions for you."

It had the desired effect. She felt the tension leave her skin as he suddenly smirked, the light slowly returning to his emerald green eyes. "Not a chance, 'Mione. You can't back out now. I already answered yours."

"I guess that means no chance for the favors going away?" Ginny's voice came from just over Hermione's shoulder.

Hermione grinned as Harry's gaze turned from her to apparently take in Ginny Weasley. What light she had provided paled in comparison to how his eyes seemed to become a green flame, a conflagration, upon resting upon her. His smirk became an actual smile as he shrugged. "No favors, no answers."

Stepping back, Hermione was thrilled that no one else had yet to intrude, though everyone was intensely watching. Even Neville waited, though he shared a quick smile with her at Hermione's glance.

"Favors?" One of the twins suddenly spoke from behind Ginny.

"What kind of favors?" The other supplied.

Hermione smiled at Ginny's blush as she turned at her brothers. "Unless you want me to start talking to Angelina and Lisa about what you were doing last summer…" Both Fred and George jerked back. "I'd back off."

"Okay, okay…"

"Don't get your knickers…"

"In a twist."

"We were just kidding."

Ginny shot them a glare. Hermione watched as Harry stood back, his demeanor still guarded, but his stance was much more relaxed.

"How about you,"

"Introduce us to your friend,"

"Harry Potter."

Hermione rolled her eyes at their dizzying way of talking. Ginny seemed to just stand there for a moment, maybe appraising their request, before she finally turned and smiled apologetically to Harry. _Well… here we go._

Harry Potter tilted his head to the side as he watched the twins. The rest of the room seemed to be waiting for the twins to either succeed or fail before taking a chance on their own. Time seemed to pass slowly as Hermione waited along with everyone else. Harry had been practically tortured by the two redheaded pranksters from the second day of class, only over the past month had things calmed down… but that was only due to Ginny's intervention on his behalf.

Finally, Harry moved, a quirk of his lips the only betrayal that everything was okay. Lifting his hand, Hermione smiled as he drew closer. "I'm Harry. Harry Potter."

Both George and Fred smiled beautifully as the grasped his hand, pumping it up and down. Even Ginny seemed to suddenly relax at seeing the three boys shaking hands and talking all at once.

And then the whole was suddenly there, crowding around to be the next to be formally introduced, all clamoring for Harry's attention.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Hermione scowled at her reflection in the mirror as she continued to pull at the sides of her robes, trying to somehow make the material finally set straight.

"Will you stop that?" Ginny admonished from behind her. "You look fine."

She regarded her redheaded friend in surprise, her eyebrows arching high. "Do you think so?" She tugged at the collar. "It just doesn't seem to want to lay down flat."

Your robes or your hair?" Ginny teased. "Honestly, you'd think it was the Yule Ball all over again… not just the 'Ween Feast."

Hermione wrinkled her nose. "I want to look nice."

The other girl grinned. "Then maybe you should have started getting ready earlier."

"Me? You haven't even started getting ready yet. Are you skipping the Halloween Feast all together?"

Ginny sighed as then fell dramatically back on Hermione's bed, her arms stretched outwards in defeat. Hermione stepped away from the mirror along the wall by the doorway and moved closer to the bed. Nudging Ginny's legs, she was able to sit next to her best friend in the world.

"What's wrong, Gin?"

The young girl's face was scrunched up, her eyes tightly shut as she lay across the bed. "You saw what happened down there… at lunch and then after."

Hermione knew, but refused to voice her friend's concern. "You didn't like lunch?"

"You know what I mean." Ginny's eyes opened and shot daggers. "Once Fred and George started talking to him… then everyone was around him."

"And that's not good?"

Ginny snorted in a very un-ladylike manner. "I couldn't get near him again."

"What!" Hermione frowned. "What are you talking about?"

"I got pushed to the side." She leaned up on her elbows, her hair sticking out. "Everyone had to talk to him, to introduce themselves like he wasn't the same boy they knew yesterday…"

"But they know the truth now. Harry Potter is famous."

"I know that." Ginny snapped. "But we were his friends before that. Why couldn't we sit next to him at lunch? Or talk to him for a few minutes sometime this afternoon."

_Ah!_ Hermione's mind finally kicked into gear. _Jealous much, Miss Weasley?_ "And you think skipping the Halloween Feast is going to get you a better chance to sit and talk with him?"

"No."

"And did Harry push you to the side?"

Ginny's hand pushed her hair back behind her ears. "No, but…"

"But what?" Hermione challenged. "He didn't start throwing hexes around to clear a path to you?"

Ginny blushed. "No…."

"Then what, Ginny?" Hermione picked up her wand and tried to throw a calming charm over her hair. "That everyone didn't immediately back off regarding your claim on him?"

"I didn't mean…"

"It's not as if," Hermione interrupted. "You've actually expressed how you feel towards the poor boy."

"But…" Ginny's eyes sparkled with the threat of tears. "He hasn't said anything, either…"

Hermione crossed her arms and stared at the redhead until she was forced to meet her gaze. "And you've taken into consideration that he had been alone for his entire life? That he has opened up to us in ways that he has never done to anyone else? And that he trusted us with his secret?"

"Hermione.. wait. I meant to…"

"To what?" Hermione's face felt flushed. "Keep holding on to that fairy tale ideal you had of Harry Potter when you were a child? Is that what you want? The whole white horse and drawn sword kind of thing?

"No, but…"

"But nothing." Hermione had to set her wand down before she did something she would regret later. "He's had nothing, Ginevra! Nothing! He doesn't know that he's rich. He doesn't know anything about what its like having a family and a home. None of it!"

"'Mione…"

"No." Hermione turned away from her friend. "If you are just as selfish as that, maybe it's better that you do skip the feast."

"What?" Ginny's voice was barely above a whisper.

"I, on the other hand, am going to look my best and go sit down next to my friend, Harry. I'm sure Neville will sit across from him or nearby, but that leaves one spot on the Gryffindor table available."

"That's not…"

"So…" Hermione returned to fidgeting with her robes again. "Since you are apparently going to leave Mr. Potter to the… tender mercies of the other girls in this school?"

"Wha…?"

Hermione smiled at seeing the look of shock that crossed Ginny's face in the mirror. "I guess maybe I could see Lavender getting to sit next to Harry…"

Ginny was up and off the bed instantly. "Not a chance!"

Hermione just looked at her. "There might not be a spot near him if you don't hurry…"

"I have to get ready… ready… what will I wear…?" Ginny was suddenly a blur of motion. Clothes began flying out of her trunk as the young girl seemed to almost vanish under a flurry of various colors and fabrics. _Honestly! How can anyone have so many different shades of green?_

"Or maybe Padma?"

Ginny paused in her mad dash through every article of clothing she owned as she turned and bounded into Hermione's arms, hugging the girl tightly. "Thank you for knocking some sense into me."

Hermione hugged her back. "Of course. Now, what are we going to put you in to make Harry Potter forget his name all over again?"

Ginny laughed as she pulled out of the embrace, turning to look at the disaster she'd made of her area of the dorm room. "I have absolutely no idea."

Hermione turned and looked at herself in the mirror. She closed her eyes in frustration as she realized that all of the meticulous care she had spent over the past thirty minutes had all been for naught as Ginny's hug had messed everything up from completely wrinkling her robes beyond repair to breaking the cheap hair charm she'd used on her head.

Ginny was suddenly there next to her in the reflection, several different garments under her arms. "Come on, slowpoke! We have to get ready."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"I can't believe we took so long to get ready." Ginny whined. "Now we're running late."

Hermione ignored the other girl as they both finally made it down the staircase and over towards the Great Hall. As they neared the doorway, Hermione paused for a moment to wonder at the various decorations that seemed to be strewn all over the castle.

Large bats hung from every possible edge, their eyes glowing bright yellow to any student that dared draw to close. _They almost seem real._ The ghosts of Hogwarts were in full spirit (forgive the pun) and were wailing and moaning from deep within the shadows that had been cast be the giant Jack-O-Lantern torches that were carefully suspended above the hallways.

"Are we ready?" Ginny asked, pulling Hermione from her thoughts.

Hermione turned, her eyes taking in her friend, as she nodded silently. _At least the time was worth it._ Hermione took in that they had both decided to wear Muggle clothing to the Feast rather than any robes… especially as robes did nothing for attracting the eye of any cute boys according to Ginny. Hermione had been happy with robes, but the smile on her face was well worth the time wasted.

Both were in jeans, though Hermione felt that a size larger would have been more decent. Ginny had been insistent, so they were both now in tight jeans and wearing some shirt that was supposed to convey the name of a Muggle band. Ginny had wrinkled her nose at the name: _Dingoes Ate My Baby_, but had finally admitted that she liked the way it looked on her. Hermione had been able to beg off a similar shirt and had chosen a more conservative top, one that she had always liked.

Without waiting for anything else to possibly go wrong, they two turned sharply and entered into the warmth of the Great Hall and the inviting aromas from the Halloween Feast. _Everything seems normal_. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. Glancing at the friend on her arm, she was shocked to see an expression that seemed to convey that she, too, had been comforted by how everything seemed the same this year. _Now, if we can just get things to be a little less normal for Ginny and Harry_…

"Hey, guys." Hermione turned to see Neville approaching from the corner of the room.

"Hey." Ginny and Hermione both offered.

"What are you doing in the corner?" Hermione asked, her stomach suddenly doing flips. "Is everything okay?"

Neville immediately nodded, though his eyes danced about the room. "Everyone is p-p-pretty good. The main p-part of th-the feast will begin s-soon…"

"But?" Ginny offered.

He smiled, his cheeks flaming slightly. "B-but… Malfoy and his c-c-cronies are up to something."

Glancing over her shoulder, Hermione could easily make out the platinum haired boy surrounded by his usual group of troublemakers, deep in conversation.

"Where's Harry?"

Hermione turned to look at Neville. "What do you mean 'Where's Harry?' Isn't he here?"

At the boy's shake of his head, Hermione could already feel Ginny turning to leave the Great Hall in search of their wayward friend. She was ready to go after, but before Ginny could take more than a step, Hermione watched as she suddenly veered towards the Gryffindor table, quickly approaching her twin brothers.

She was slow to catch up, so she never got to hear exactly what Ginny said to George and Fred, but both boys had nodded solemnly to their younger sister before immediately moving away from many of the others around them and began looking over a piece of old parchment. Hermione bounced her gaze between the two boys and their sister, as neither moved for a few minutes.

Eventually, Hermione decided to step a bit closer. Ginny turned and smiled secretively at her, but didn't offer any type of explanation.

"Ginny…"

"Hush, Hermione."

Hermione felt her face go red. "What do you mean hush? I thought you were going to find Harry?"

"I am."

Before she had a chance to inquire further on such a cryptic statement, Fred and George suddenly drew closer. "He's coming down the stairs now."

"Thank you." Ginny suddenly smiled at both of her brothers.

"No prob, sis…"

"But you might…"

"Want to know that…"

"Your crush is not alone."

The two boys smiled as Ginny paused from running out of the Great Hall and looked at them, her eyes clouding. "And just exactly who is he with?"

"Ickle Ronnikins." The brothers smiled wickedly as they watched their sister become so flustered. Even Hermione had to admit that they had pushed all the right buttons on their little joke.

Hermione watched as Ginny closed her eyes for a moment, mumbling something. Before she could offer any soothing advice, Ginny suddenly sprang into action and pulled Hermione after her as they both moved towards the outside doorway.

They had almost made it to the doors, the whole room flashing with lightning and storm clouds across the enchanted ceiling, when voices of an argument seemed to carry to their ears. Sparing only a momentary glance at one another, they both moved quickly to head off any fight… nor to draw more attention to what was occurring just outside of the feast than was necessary.

Hermione turned the corner back to the moving stairwell to find Ron and Harry in an argument. Ron's face was red, nearing the same shade as his hair… a trait she'd found that he and his sister shared. His arms were waving manically and his words were running over one another like he was in a race to finish a Churchill radio address in less time than was allotted.

Harry, however, seemed at first glance to be the picture of calm. His stance was relaxed and his arms folded as he listened to the Weasley boy's tirade on whatever subject he was subjugating their friend to. But in was a lie… Harry's apparent ease. Hermione wasn't exactly sure how, but she could tell that he was ready to strike… a wolf posing as a sheep…

_More like a Dragon posing as a mouse._

From Ginny's movement, Hermione could tell that the young redhead was equally aware that Ron was treading on thin ice… definitely not a great place to be. They both moved quickly towards the two boys, each hoping to get there before any type of final spark was able to send the whole thing up into a conflagration of flames.

"…ave to, mate!" Ron was sputtering. "I've gotta know. After what you said… Talkin' might help…"

"For. The. Last. Time. Ron." Harry bit off each word. "No. And if I wanted to talk, why would I talk to you?"

Hermione stepped in between both of the boys facing off, while Ginny moved over to Harry, her hand firmly grabbing onto his and pulling him back away. Hermione smiled as she saw Ginny put her hand on Harry's' cheek, turning his gaze away from Ron and towards her. They spoke in hushed tones… _Damn, but I want to know what she's saying._

"Ron? What is going on?" Hermione turned and stared at her friend's brother. "Well? Why are you both late to the Feast?"

Ronald Weasley's ears turned red under Hermione's question. "He fell asleep on his bed waiting to hear that the two of you were in the common room… and I… I had to wake him up from another bad dream. I didn't get a chance to stop either of you when I heard you leave, so I had to wake him up."

_He was waiting on us? Ginny's going to be on cloud nine_. "And?"

"Once he was up, I asked him… that's all… asked him about his dreams, I figured since we'd have to catch up with you at the Feast, I could use the chance to talk to him about… well, about… the war team and everything."

"Harry's upset because you were talking about Professor Shacklebolt's class?"

Ron hung his head. "Yeah… kinda… no."

Hermione felt her eyes go hard. "Well? Which is it? Yes or no?"

"The answer you're looking for, Ronald." Ginny's voice shot out from behind Hermione. "Is _no_."

"Look…"

"No, Ron." Ginny's eyes sparked dangerously. "I cannot believe you. Asking questions like that!"

"What questions?" Hermione felt confused.

"Ginny…" Harry tried to pull Ginny away. "It's not worth it. Let's eat. I'm starving."

"What questions?"

Ron stared at the stone floor, shuffling his feet.

"Why don't you answer her, Ron?"

At that, Ginny's brother suddenly stiffened, his entire demeanor changing. Hermione didn't even have time to prepare in case Ginny had pushed him too far, but suddenly Harry was in front of her, both she and Ginny safely behind him.

"Look, Ron…" Ginny began, but she suddenly quieted as Harry's hand shot up, motioning for her to be quiet. _Surprisingly, Ginny did._

"I don't answer to you, Gin. "Ron looked up and then stared at her over Harry's shoulder. "Or any of your friends."

"Fine."

"No. Not fine, Ginny." Ron's voice was distant and angry. "But you cannot dictate that I want to talk to him or ask him questions. You can't decide anything for me."

"And if he doesn't want to talk to you?"

"So Harry _bloody_ Potter can be off with you in a broom closet?" Ron's face was bright red. "I have to sit around while you do that and I can't talk to him?"

"What!" Ginny nearly shrieked.

"It was your name he kept whispering while he was having a nightmare."

Ginny's ears flushed momentarily before she ran over her brother's insinuation. "You weren't worried about my honor, Ron. Don't even try it… not when you ask questions like that."

"What questions?" Hermione repeated yet again.

Ginny turned and looked at her. "He's asking about Harry's nightmares… asking about his time as a captive with the Three and then the fight at Little Hangleton."

Hermione shook her head. "What about…" At Ginny's look, Hermione shut her mouth. _Of course! Ron wants to hear the adventure stories from The-Boy-That-Vanished, not about the actual truth from Harry._

Harry had remained quiet through the exchange, his posture not giving away any type of signal whether he cared about being spoken about as if he wasn't there. Hermione wanted to step closer to him, but he looked ready to spring if it was necessary. She felt sure something was about to happen, when Ginny seemed to have the same idea.

She watched as the redhead blushed furiously, all but ignoring her brother now, and moved closer to Harry. "I… well, what I mean is… I… I mean… I hate when people talk about me like I'm not there."

Hermione watched as Harry smiled. "Make it three favors and I forgive you."

Already shaking her head, Ginny actually laughed, the tension level in the area dropping considerably. "Not a chance. Two is all you're going to get."

Harry sighed. "Well, then sit with me at the Feast rather than ignoring me like you did this afternoon and we'll call it fair."

Hermione smiled as Ginny's face transformed into something beautiful as she suddenly hugged Harry. She watched as the raven-haired boy stiffened in surprise, then relaxed as Ginny started saying that she was of course going to sit with him.

She watched as Ron's face seemed to darken dangerously, when all of their attention was suddenly forced behind them.

"What is going on here?" Professor Snape's shadow suddenly fell upon all of them.

Hermione jumped, her eyes moving over to the pale skinned man, she saw that Ginny had been shocked at his arrival and had immediately pulled back from her hug with Harry. Ron had jerked, as well, but Harry only relaxed back into his ready stance, as though he'd not been surprised at all that the teacher had been drawing closer.

"I asked a question." The Potions Professor nearly snarled.

"Well, Professor… we were…" Hermione had tried to answer, but the Professor simply held his hand in front of her face, effectively telling her to shut up.

"No, Miss Granger. I asked Mr. Potter."

She watched as Harry turned his back on Ron as though there had not been the possibility of violence just a moment ago. "A disagreement on whether to sit out here or go in to the Feast." At the dark man's raise of an eyebrow, Harry smiled cheekily. "Sir."

"All four of you. In the Great Hall. Now." Snape's voice cut like ice. They all moved quickly towards the door, though the Professor's voice called out after them. "And Mr. Potter. Miss Weasley?"

"Yes, sir?" Harry paused to look over his shoulder. Ginny had stopped as well.

"We do not approve of… hugging… in the hallways. Twenty points from each of you. And if I see it again, it will be detention."


	17. Harry Potter in Class

DISCLAIMER: I am but a lowly fan fiction writer using the magical creation of another to inspire me… too boring to think of anything on my own. For inspiration, look to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: I like this chapter. I hope that everyone else does, too. It was much harder than I thought it would be. This sort of acts as a contrast chapter, seeing the difference Harry has compared to Brightwing.

Thanks for all of the reviews! I do this for you…. Well, that and the praise.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER SIXTEEN –HARRY POTTER IN CLASS

Harry ignored the pointed looks and occasional giggles and laughter that seemed to spread like a virus whenever he was around now. Sure, things had been kind of difficult as Brightwing, but that was stuff that probably every schoolboy had to go through moving into a new school. Getting to know the teachers, having to deal with a schedule, homework… not to mention either being included or excluded from the various cliques. But as Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Vanished… though the Daily Prophet had started calling him The-Boy-Who-Returned…school was getting down right impossible.

He smiled through the bitterness that he could always feel threatening inside, as he considered everything that had happened in the span of so few days. First and most important, was Ginny. She'd still refrained from asking any questions… _over a month now_… but they had drawn closer. In some ways, it really had been the fact that the news of who he was finally broke, forcing her to declare her loyalty to him. Also, he had to give credit to Ron.

It took a moment to realize that his hand was touching his cheek where she had touched him so carefully, her voice low and private, as she soothed his anger at Ron's invasive questions. Ginny had only worried about him… making sure that he was okay, before she had turned on her brother with a fury that reminded him of the stories about his mother. Moving his hand back down to his side, Harry smiled.

After the near riot that had occurred three days ago, Aurors from the Ministry had been assigned to guard the outer perimeter of the school. There had been gossip of Dementors, but those same rumours told that Dumbledore had absolutely refused, stating that the welfare of the students would not be improved by those loathsome creatures hanging about..

The Aurors were not Hogwarts staff. They were not allowed to take House points or determine detentions, but were there to make sure that the peace was kept. Professor McGonagall had approached Harry immediately after breakfast yesterday after the guardians had arrived, explaining that they wanted to put a shadow on him at all times. He had, of course, immediately refused, and even the logical arguments from Hermione as well as the impassioned looks from Ginny had not swayed him from even more loss of his privacy. His House Head had nodded curtly at his refusal, disappointment clearly written across her features.

The first class after the Aurors had come into the school had been Ancient Runes. The class had been a bit smaller as students were missing, most likely pulled from the school under the threat of attacks from outside… or because he was at the school. He'd started to feel guilty, until both Neville and Hermione had jumped on him for something that wasn't his fault. _They really are good friends._ So it was with a lighter heart that they had trekked to the Great Hall for the noon meal, when Ginny had hesitantly approached them at the table and introduced them to a new exchange student: Kenya Miles.

**Trust your instincts. Trust your gift. When something seems wrong… feels wrong. It usually is wrong.** Padfoot's voice had screamed at him.

Harry had been polite, taking in the girl. Ginny had kept the conversation steered away from anything serious, mostly trying to explain how she and Kenya knew each other. An old family friend. Harry had only nodded at the explanation. Ginny's refusal to look him in the eye had only acted as the final bit of proof that all was not as it seemed.

It had come as no surprise to later learn that Kenya was assigned the exact same schedule as he had. So, now it was that there were the four of them… Neville, Hermione and Kenya that walked with him to and from all classes together.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Are you ready, mate?" Ron was suddenly sitting next to Harry.

From over the redhead's shoulder, Harry watched as Hermione pressed her lips together in obvious ire at Ginny's brother's presumption to take the seat she had been about to sit at. At her look, Harry had shrugged and indicated that Neville was still holding the chair next to him available. Kenya would just have to find another seat.

Ron seemed oblivious to the silent exchange.

"I wonder if we'll get to go up against Professor Shacklebolt today?" Ron's voice was nervous. Harry sighed as he pulled out parchment and quill. So far, their quad hadn't gone up against the Dark Arts teacher, instead having to take notes on the various critiques and comments that he gave to the other quads that had faced against him.

He could hear Hermione's voice in his head, worrying more about the passing grade for going up against the Auror… but Harry had to admit that he enjoyed Ron's eagerness to compete against the other teams. The war games were not allowed to begin until after all of the OWL and NEWT classes had been evaluated first.

"Anybody look tough to you yet?"

Harry shot a glance at the boy sitting next to him, the smile on his face almost enough to make Harry smile in return. _How could he answer?_ So far, none of the teams in their class that they'd witnessed so far had seemed very proficient at fighting. In fact, other than Malfoy and his team, no one had even come close to actually hitting Shacklebolt with a spell… and the blonde Slytherin had only done it when Crabbe had tackled the Auror from behind.

He opened his mouth to begin an answer, when the back door opened and Professor Shacklebolt walked into the room, his gaze sweeping across the classroom. "I will need every one to stand for a moment, please."

"Aw, man…" Ron grumbled. Harry smirked as he quickly pulled out of his seat.

"I will need for everyone to get along the wall. Take your books and other items with you."

Harry quirked his eyebrow at Hermione, but the girl shrugged and followed along with the professor's instructions. Once everyone was situated against the wall, Harry saw that the door that the wizard had entered through opened again and allowed for four Aurors to enter the room.

At their entrance, Harry groaned silently to himself. We're going today. I'm going today. He ignored the whispers that were starting to break out about the room, as the four Aurors immediate went to stand at the four corners of the large room.

"These are some of my fellow Aurors." Shacklebolt's voice sounded through the room, drawing everyone's attention back to him. "They are here to help prevent any… accidents."

"Professor?" Seamus' hand shot up.

"Yes, Mr. Finnegan."

"What do you mean by accidents?"

The imposing teacher smiled for a brief moment as he turned to look at Harry and his friends. "If Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Mr. Longbottom and Mr. Potter would kindly step forward."

Understanding suddenly dawned on anyone that hadn't already figured it out, as the four of them slowly moved up into the center of the room. Harry tried not to look around to the other students watching as he could feel the excitement in the room build.

"As with all previous teams, let me run through the various… points of reference for each of the students in today's quad primary examination." The professor's eyes looked at the rest of the room while his hand pointed to Neville. "Mr. Longbottom is the son of two Aurors, both considered to have been the best at what they did. He has excellent marks and is a Gryffindor."

"Miss Granger," His hand pointed to Hermione, who was suddenly blushing furiously. "Is currently the top scoring student of her class… and is slowly approaching the top scores of the school. She, too, if from House Gryffindor."

Shacklebolt nodded to Ron. "Mr. Weasley is from one of the purest bloodlines still in existence today." Harry turned as Malfoy and several others of the Slytherins snorted, but the professor ignored them. "His family has been a backbone of support for the Ministry and the wizarding community for nearly six hundred years. There is no doubt that he is a Gryffindor."

The room fell silent. "And Mr. Potter." Shacklebolt's voice was cold. _Like ice._ "Mr. Potter, outside of his celebrity status as The-Boy-Who-Vanished, is the son of two of Hogwarts most distinguished students. The sorting hat placed him in Gryffindor."

_Tell me how you really feel._ Harry kept his face passive.

"Why are there Aurors here?" Ron's voice asked, only barely cracking.

The Professor turned and looked at Ginny's brother, his eyes hard. Finally, he sighed and looked back at the entire room. "If everyone will get comfortable, I am going to have my colleagues strengthen the ward barrier around the combatants."

Harry caught Hermione's smirk as he looked over at her. She knew that the Professor was worried about him… _and she was enjoying it!_ Harry shook his head as he shrugged out of his robes, deciding that he would never ever understand girls.

"What'cha doin', mate?" Neville came over to Harry as he set his robes across a chair, ignoring the quick chants of the Aurors all around him, strengthening the protective magics.

"What do you mean?"

Neville looked at Harry's clothes. "Why'd you take off your robes?"

Harry smiled as he began twisting and stretching, making sure that none of his clothes caught or pulled too tightly or interfered with any movement. "I think that the robes are too bulky… I don't feel comfortable in them."

"We're just using magic, Harry."

Harry grinned at Neville. "You might feel more comfortable in something less restrictive."

Neville blushed. "Got nothing on underneath."

He tried not to grin, but knew that it was a losing battle. "Well then, mate." Harry clapped him on the back. "Do try and not lose that robe."

"Is everyone ready?" Professor Shacklebolt suddenly called.

Harry turned to find Ron and Hermione were waiting on them. He smiled when he saw that Hermione had also taken her robes off and was again in jeans and a tee shirt… _though the jeans aren't as nice as the ones she wore to the Feast. And, of course, thoughts of Halloween brought memories of Ginny in the tight clothes she had been wearing._ He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, mentally preparing for the fight about to happen.

He and Neville drew closer to their teammates. As Hermione and Ron turned to look at each other, Harry pulled all three of them draw closer. "I have an idea, though I wish we'd actually had a chance to practice before today…"

"No one was to practice, Mr. Potter. This was to evaluate your beginning abilities as working like a team."

Harry ignored the professor. _Work as a team without practicing? How stupid is that!_ "Okay…" Harry whispered. "He's going to go after me. You three need to take the other three sides... one left, one right and one behind, while I face him from directly ahead."

"Harry…" Neville interrupted.

"Look. This is about winning, right?"

At everyone's assent, Harry grinned. "Just do your best and I'll see if I can hold him off long enough to let you get some good shots in, okay?"

"And when that doesn't work?" Ron's voice was strained.

Harry grinned. "Well, I've always heard that the best laid plans last only until the battle begins, so if he doesn't face me first… I dunno… just blast him."

Once everyone had agreed, Harry stood and smiled at Shacklebolt. "Whenever you'd like us to begin, Professor."

The black wizard turned away from them as he reminded the Aurors in the room to only enforce the wards, not to interfere with the class and to remind the other students to not interfere with what was going on. "In fact, take notes on what you see." Harry took that moment to slowly creep away from the other three and start making his way behind the professor.

"So, begin." Harry had a momentary thrill as Shacklebolt turned in a dueling stance to face off against the four students… only to find three standing there, waiting for him.

"Stupefy" Hermione cried out, trying to take advantage of the professor's surprise.

Harry watched as he easily dodged her spell and threw one back of his own. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Neville knelt in front of Ron and Hermione, his voice strong. "Protego." The Auror's magic bounced off of the thin shield and was absorbed by the wards.

Ron quickly moved to the left, Hermione darting to the right as Neville continued to hold his shielding spell in order to deflect any direct curses from the professor.

Shacklebolt dived to the side, cutting off Ron's attempt to flank him and allowing the Auror to have his back to one of the wards. "Expelliarmus!"

"Argh…" Ron was suddenly thrown back to the floor as his wand was ripped from his grasp.

"Accio wand." Hermione's voice suddenly called from across the way, quickly snapping Ron's wand out from the Auror's grasp and into her waiting hand.

"Stupefy!" Neville shot a curse at the professor, who easily flicked his wand, blocking the spell. _Non-verbal magic?_ Harry laughed silently. _That's why he was interested when he saw me do it!_

Harry continued to move to the side of the professor, neither engaging the other while the professor continued to deal with Harry's teammates.

"Coward!" Malfoy was jeering him. "No wonder Black's at Azkaban… did you leave him behind as well?" Other students were watching him, and while none of them were actually booing him, Harry could sense the disappointment that he wasn't doing more.

Harry watched as Ron finally stood up, his eyes warily watching Hermione and Neville casting hexes at their teacher. _I wonder how long we've been at this?_

"Protego" Neville's voice called out. Harry turned in time to see his friend's shield buckle under the assault by the older wizard, as he was suddenly thrown back into the wards and fell limply to the ground.

"Accio wand." Shacklebolt suddenly cried.

_Uh oh!_ "Accio wand!" Harry shouted as the wand suddenly stopped in mid air between the two of them, a battle of wills over who could get the wand to them. "Hermione!"

The curly-haired girl seemed to pick up immediately what was needed and started throwing curses at the professor, forcing his attention to be split between having a second wand or falling to the student's magic. Harry smiled as Neville's wand suddenly flew into his hand as Shacklebolt released his attempt to gain a second wand.

"Impedimenta!" Harry dove as the professor's magic suddenly shot over him. He grunted in pain as he landed on his side, the mat covered floor not enough to keep him from knocking the wind out of himself, when the professor's voice sounded again. "Incarcerous!"

Harry waited for the magical bindings, but after a moment, nothing came. Looking up quickly, he found Hermione on the floor, ropes effectively taking her out of the match. In fact, he and the teacher were the only two still standing, as Neville was still unconscious and Ron was now also tied up with ropes.

"Your teammates did very well without you, Mr. Potter." Shacklebolt picked up Hermione's wand and turned to face directly towards Harry. "But I expected no less. Do you yield?"

Harry smiled. "Do you?"

The shock on the professor's face was enough of a victory for Harry that he almost thought he could just give up and consider the match a win. Lifting his and Neville's wands in each of his hands, Harry turned sideways and nodded to the Auror. Shacklebolt only glanced quickly at the other Aurors in the room before taking a quick stance similar to Harry's own.

"Take him out, Harry!" Hermione spoke from her place on the floor. Harry wished he could spare her a glance, but knew that it might be the last thing he'd do before getting blasted by the professor.

"Do it, mate!" Ron cried out as well.

And then it happened. Harry could suddenly feel the voices of the students all around him either cheering him on or calling for him to fail spectacularly. For a moment, the noise was dizzying, but soon it became a source of strength, as he could feel the tingle of support and power seeping into his bones, his very skin. _He knew his eyes were on fire._

Smiling, Harry shot his hand out, Neville's wand fitting nicely in his hand. Shacklebolt had only a moment to widen his eyes as he suddenly threw up his own wand, the crackle of magic versus magic dancing in a light show. It was enough for everyone to suddenly quiet, the room now deafening from the lack of chanting and calling out of support. _They'd both done non-verbal magic_.

_No words. _

_No incantations. _

Shacklebolt quirked his eyebrow inquiringly as Harry continued to smile. _I'm Harry Potter, trained by Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Time for this Auror to remember that._ And then both of them began to move.

Using his own wand for protection, Harry started swinging Ron's wand back and forth, various hexes and curses and anything else he could think of blasting against the Professor. At first, they both were attacking in very similar styles; one wand to shield and one to attack. It was a pretty light show, but neither seemed to gain much ground against the other. Harry stumbled in a quick retreat as Shacklebolt's spell sent a shower of sparks in front of him… his eyes beginning to water…

_I need an advantage!_ Harry started considering all of the training that Padfoot and Moony had given him… the hours of dueling and fighting and techniques for gaining the upper hand against your opponent. His head tilted to the left almost on its own accord as a hex suddenly bounced along the upper edge of his barrier, almost ending the fight before it had begun.

_He's too well trained. He's been doing this forever._ Harry thought back to his trying to save Sirius that night at Little Hangleton. _How did I hold them off so long?_

"You're doing well, Mr. Potter." Shacklebolt's voice was calm. He's not even breathing hard! "I think that you've done enough today. I don't think there's a reason for you to get hurt."

_Hurt?_ Harry seethed. _He's playing with me._ "I'd rather finish this."

Shacklebolt only nodded as if he expected Harry's response. Without waiting for Harry to match his stance, the Auror turned professor started their magical contest up again, immediately putting Harry on the defensive.

As he concentrated, Harry closed his eyes, ignoring the gasps that suddenly were pulled from all of the other students and observers. In his mind, he could feel that there were more people in the room than when the lesson had begun… _larger than students… other Aurors? Professors? Dumbledore, maybe?_

Focusing on everything around him, no longer worried about what he was seeing, but rather what he was feeling, Harry started moving around the warded area, dodging the Auror's spells rather than attempting to block all of them. _He was tiring too quickly, and that would mean he'd lost._ After a quick jump over a quick shot at his feet… _a leg bind, maybe?_... Harry started throwing magic with both wands, ignoring the danger that he'd left himself open for a direct shot if he was too slow.

_Left hand, right hand, left hand, right hand_… Harry could feel the shields that Shacklebolt had erected using both wands starting to crack under Harry's assault. It seemed so much clearer, his eyes closed, the distractions of seeing everything around him, the possible lights and sparks and whatever else… all gone, only his otherly senses telling him where everyone in the room was at this precise moment.

And then it happened.

For a moment, Harry considered continuing on, but he knew he was right. Shacklebolt's magical shield crumbled around him, leaving the Auror completely vulnerable for attack. Taking a moment to enjoy the sense of quiet darkness, Harry slowly opened his eyes to find that he was nowhere near where he had started the duel with the older wizard. _In fact,_ he grinned, _I'm on the opposite end of the room!_ Sneaking a glance around, Harry found that the other four Aurors in the room were no longer simply standing in the corners, but were now aggressively holding their wands towards the barrier, which seemed to glow with power.

"Do you yield?" Harry had to catch his breath before he broke the silence of the packed room.

The professor stood from his kneeling position, his eyes hard as he stared directly at Harry. As he lifted his wand, Harry kept still, never raising either of the wands in his grasp up. _I'm too tired to lift my arms…_

"Oh, well done. Simply marvelous." Harry never took his eyes off of the professor in front of him as Headmaster Dumbledore moved further into the classroom, his hands clapping… the sounds of each clap rebounding off of the stone walls.

The room began to join the elderly wizard, applause filling his ears as he glanced briefly at Hermione and Ron, both of whom were looking at him with awe-struck faces. "Finite Incantatem." The ropes suddenly vanished and both quickly stood, moving over to Harry immediately.

"Mate, that was wicked!" Ron grinned from ear to ear.

"That was… that was…" Hermione fished for words. "You were amazing." Harry started to reply when she suddenly launched herself around him, pulling him into a deep hug. He smiled at the calculating look Ron gave him as he patted Hermione on the back.

"You were moving so fast…" Ron smiled. "Your spells were bouncing off of his shields and were hitting the wards… and you arms there at the end were a blur…"

"The Aurors in the room had to increase their strength several times." Hermione added.

"Ohh… my head…" Hermione released Harry as they both turned to see Neville standing, his eyes blurry. "Did we win?"

Harry grinned cheekily as he considered his friend. "Nah, mate. We just are getting an ovation from the Headmaster for getting our arses kicked."

"Harry! Language!"

He grinned at the girl as he suddenly remembered holding Ron's wand. Holding it out to the redheaded boy, he smiled. "Nice stick there. Hold on to it next time and maybe you can play, too."

Ron blushed as he took the wand. "Those really were wicked moves. If I'm going to keep up… if anyone's going to keep up, you're going to hav'ta show us how."

"Can I have everyone's attention!" Shacklebolt called over the applause and talking that filled the room. Once the room was quiet once again, Harry and the others in his quad moved back to join the other students along the wall.

"I think we are done for the day." The black wizard wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I'll test the last two quads next time and then the War Game Tournament can begin. Class dismissed."

At those words, Harry felt himself sag into an available chair as several students started drawing closer, all with eager looks on their faces on talking to him. _I wish Ginny were here._ He was saved, however, from his adoring fan club, as Dumbledore was suddenly standing above him, his blue eyes twinkling.

"I was hoping to speak with you, Mr. Potter." He glanced significantly at the students now barely holding back. "Or we could reschedule for a later time…"

"No." Harry nearly shouted. "I mean, no, Professor. Now would be an excellent time."

"I thought it might." The graying wizard smiled towards Hermione. "Do not worry, Miss Granger. I will make sure that young Mr. Potter is at the Gryffindor table in time to eat. In fact, why don't you and Miss Weasley make sure that you save him a spot?"

Hermione glanced meaningfully at him, as Kenya was suddenly standing next to her, her eyes watching Harry carefully. Hermione sighed as she looked at the tan skinned girl before smiling apologetically. "I'll see you later, Harry."

"Later, Harry." Ron waved as he moved after the two girls.

Once his friends were gone, Harry turned to find that the rest of the students had also left, leaving him in the room with five Aurors and the Headmaster of the school.

_Won't this be fun?_

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Does this mean I get a passing grade?" Harry asked, his eyes darting about the room. Five Aurors, though he only recognized Kingsley Shacklebolt. The other four were all new… _guess they weren't at Little Hangleton._

"Harry…" Dumbledore smiled. "If I can call you 'Harry' now." _He noticed that the headmaster never actually asked for permission. _"I must say that in all honesty, I am very impressed with your abilities so far. Simply astounding, defeating an Auror like that."

"I had help."

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled. "Ah, yes. Miss Granger and misters Longbottom and Weasley. Quite an accomplishment."

Harry shrugged, his face impassive.

"Your team… quad, I believe you call them?" Shacklebolt nodded. "Your team of four was the only one in the Fifth Year Class so far to beat the Professor."

Harry sighed. "What do you want to ask me, Professor?"

The Headmaster of Hogwarts stood from the chair he had taken across from Harry and looked at the other people in the room. _At the Aurors._ "Do you know what you have done? Twice now, in fact?"

"I'm not sure…"

The grandfatherly wizard waved his hand, cutting Harry off. "No. No. Of course not." He turned and looked directly at Harry. "Do you know how rare it is to do non-verbal magic?"

He could remember Padfoot's glee when they'd discovered what he could do on his thirteenth birthday… he'd been so upset with Padfoot and Moony taping his mouth shut. Moony had even forgiven the fact that Harry had set his shoes on fire when they realized what he could perform magic without the verbal components.

"Not many, I guess…"

"Not many." Dumbledore chuckled. "I think there are less than a hundred wizards or witches in the entirety of the world that can… and of those, only a handful can do more than one or two charms." His tone became very serious. "How many did you cast today, Harry?"

Harry shrugged again. "I don't remember. Seven, maybe?" _More like twenty or so._

Professor Dumbledore watched Harry… almost like he could tell Harry was not being completely truthful, before his smile reappeared. "Of course. Of course."

"Was that all, sir?"

The long bearded wizard nodded. Harry quickly stood, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. He neared the door, his arm readjusting the book bag strap across his shoulder, when the professor called out to him again. Steeling his expression, Harry turned.

"Yes, sir?"

"One last question, Harry. I promise you can go after that." Harry waited as the elderly man quietly stroked his beard. "How was it you could tell where everyone was with your eyes closed?"

_Oh, no!_ "Sir?"

"Your eyes, Harry." Dumbledore's voice was as smooth as butter. "We all noticed that you seemed to… well… seem more in control of yourself with your eyes closed."

"I'm not sure…"

"Harry." Dumbledore's voice was warm and friendly. "I know that you are unhappy with me. That you feel that I am trying to keep you here like a prisoner… and that I do not understand your plight. It is my greatest wish that we can somehow find a way to help one another."

"Help one another?"

The Professor smiled. "I would like to be your friend, Harry. Friends that could tell each other many things… Even if you do not believe me, I want you to know that I am trying to help free your godfather. I also would like to help clear the record with Remus Lupin, just as you requested of me… but I need your help. These types of matters often take time."

Dumbledore gestured to the men scattered around the room. "I know that you have fought with Aurors, Harry. But they are not your enemy. Each of these men has dedicated his life to the Ministry and to the pursuit of justice."

"Whose definition of justice?" Harry countered. "'Cause from what I've seen so far, I'm not really liking it."

"That will be enough lip from you, Mr. Potter." Shacklebolt pointed his finger at Harry. "Be respectful of the Headmaster."

Dumbledore waved his hand almost as if batting at an insect. "Thank you, Kingsley, but I am fine. I understand Harry's bitterness to the situation…"

"But, sir…"

Harry watched as the DADA professor suddenly stood from his chair and walked to the far side of the room, several of the other Aurors following after him… their voices quiet.

"Harry." Dumbledore's voice was soft… private. "Is it so difficult for you to trust me? Have I not encouraged you to open up to your friends… to become a part of Hogwarts? I know that things are not perfect, but, and I truly believe this, but if we could just work together, things might move much smoother."

_This is a trick!_ Harry's mind started screaming. Shaking his head, he glanced around the room at the Aurors who were all carefully watching him. _Guards. Not guardians, but guards. Prison guards. It didn't matter how nice the cell was or that the other inmates were friendly. Hogwarts was a jail and Dumbledore was the warden._

"Can I think about it, sir?"

He watched as Dumbledore's face became closed, his trademark twinkle gone from his eyes. Harry kept his gaze on him as the Headmaster walked back over to his chair and sat down, his posture stiff. _He's upset. Why? Is it because I didn't leap at his offer? Or maybe…_

Harry tried to keep the surprise off of his face, though he couldn't be sure if he succeeded. _Legilimency! He can read my mind!_

Suddenly disgusted with himself that he hadn't realized what the old man was doing, Harry closed his eyes, grounded himself and quietly started humming, trying to find his center. Once he knew that he'd succeeded, he popped his eyes open to see shock easily read across the Headmaster's face, his eyes open wide.

"H-Harry?" All of the Aurors were suddenly alert, their wands in their hands, as Professor Dumbledore rocked back in his chair. "What did… how did…?"

Harry smiled sadly. "Is that what you meant by help, Professor? An interesting interpretation." By now, the Headmaster had composed himself and was once again the elderly grandfather. Harry wasn't fooled. "May I go now, sir?"

Harry didn't even wait for the elderly wizard's nod before he turned and darted out the door.


	18. Reactions Near & Far

DISCLAIMER: This is the property of one of the richest women in the world. Big surprise there, huh?

_A/N: Well, you wanted to see some of this… hopefully this will whet your appetite for more later. Thanks to everyone for all of the reviews. There will probably be another post tomorrow… depends on how late I get in tonight._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN – REACTIONS NEAR & FAR

Totally against his nature, he was oblivious to the patrons of the small tavern, not caring that they glanced over at him in trepidation... some even with fear. He chose to ignore all of them, the various faces that paled at his movements to the sounds of the smoke-filled pub fading away as the rush of blood and the pounding of his heartbeat filling his ears. Snarling, his hands crushed the newspaper, tearing at the words that seemed to burn his very soul.

For a moment, Remus Lupin could almost feel the beast inside of him begging to be let out… the fact that it was already past the full moon and the middle of the day completely beside the point. So easy, to just let go, to become what Fenrir Greyback had meant for him to become… maybe, if he even considered him at all. _Yes. I could become the monster that so many thought I would become. _And he could have, but for the memories of those that had loved him.

_Moony, mate… you're our friend… Padfoot smiled. _

_You're not a monster… the voice called through his head. It was James' voice, even after death._

_I trust you, Remus Lupin. You're not a monster. You're my big brother… a soft, sad voice that had brought light into his eyes, even after she'd married Prongs. Lily Evans Potter had been a soul worth protecting._

And that soul had moved to Harry Potter. _His charge. His mission. His surrogate son._

Sighing, he stood and moved out of the shadows that surrounded the table he always chose when he visited here. _The beast was contained, once again._ Keeping his gaze above the heads of the people still trying to discreetly watch him, his own gaze fell upon his reflection in the mirror located behind the bar.

He shook his head as he realized that he hadn't looked this bad since Prongs had died. _Another day of hell, for me._ Gray hairs had seemed to take over, his once brown waves fighting a losing battle. His eyes looked haunted… eyes that had seen too much loss, too much pain, for any one man to take. And the clothes… While once they were respectable, if not anything fancy, they now appeared as exactly what they were. Rags that had been worn and slept in for several days in a row.

Remus turned from his reflection and pulled his wallet out from his coat pocket, negligently tossing a few bills onto the table… his drink untouched. Sighing, he read the headline again in the Daily Prophet, his teeth grinding as he attempted to hold back the anger and frustration.

**The-Boy-Who-Vanished Found!**

**By Rita Skeeter**

**That's right. No joke. No prank. **

**Harry Potter has been found. And "where has he been?" you might ask. Currently, Harry Potter, aka The-Boy-Who-Vanished, is at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, placed there under the Ministry approved protection and guidance of Albus Dumbledore, pretending to be a student named Brightwing. Sources at the school…**

Tearing his eyes away from the week old paper, Remus refused to read anything more. Instead, his eyes were unavoidably drawn to the quick photograph next to the article. In it, Brightwing was sitting outside of Hogwarts, surrounded by other students… one of which was a pretty redhead

_Did he have friends? It's so much like when we were in school… Prongs and Lily and the others. Did we make a mistake hiding him from the world?_

_Is he happier there?_

_Great. _

_Not only do we completely botch the mission… not only does Wormtail get away… again… not only does Voldemort somehow resurrect himself… not only are Padfoot and Brightwing captured… but now Harry's at Hogwarts, under Dumbledore's watchful eye._

Remus closed his eyes as he picked up his untouched shot of scotch and quickly threw his head back, the burn of the alcohol running through his chest and into his stomach. _Drinking isn't gonna solve anything…_ Remus could hear his words to Sirius those many years ago when the two of them had taken Harry and ran. _And now Sirius is at Azkaban and Harry is at Hogwarts…. _

_And I'm not sure who is in the more dangerous situation. _

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Without thinking, the goblin threw down the carved stone figurine from his hand to the cold, hard, marble-tiled floor of the Diagon Alley branch of Gringotts. The miniature statue's impact and subsequent crack seemed to reverberate off of the walls, amplifying the sound to the point of many of the bank's patrons and workers were uncontrollably drawn to look at the argument taking place, almost as if against their will. And upon looking, most turned back to their own business, hoping to avoid the embarrassment of being somehow dragged kicking and screaming into what they were seeing.

The scene occurring at the doorway into one of the upper management's office was one that had not been publicly witnessed nor recorded in well over a century, as Riqshak, a mid level clerk to the prestigious baking firm was literally throwing a temper tantrum in front of the tall, human wizard that had just handed him the once irreplaceable (though it was now nothing more than scattered, broken shards) model of the Ancient Mother of Goblinatic lore.

_A waste, truly._ Bill Weasley thought to himself as he reluctantly pulled his gaze away from the small pieces scattered now around him and looked back up into the luminescent purple eyes of his current liaison with the bank. Sucking slightly on his lower lip, a nervous tick that his mother had often scolded him for, he continued taking deep breaths through his nose… keeping his mouth shut in order to not let his temper show.

_It was only a priceless, one-in-a-million find… an actually eighty-two percent whole scaled representation of the deity that over two-thirds of the Goblin nation revered over any other god or goddess in the known Pantheon._ He shook his head. _No biggie._

"We have no time for such! Not now!" Riqshak growled. "I tell you to return immediately… that we have desperate need for you…your… information… and you make me wait four days… and then waste my time with trinkets!"

Bill ran a hand through his hair, as he focused on keeping his cool. _He wanted to cry at the loss._ "That wasn't a trinket, sir. That was a …"

"Nevermind!" The goblin looked almost to the point of snarling.

For not the first time since finally arriving… _yes, he'd dragged his feet. He knew he'd been close to a find… something that would make his employers happy and put his name of the map… all broken dreams now, literally…_but now, for the first time, Bill realized that maybe there was something more going on than simply recalling a low level curse breaker from his assignment.

Holding in a sigh, Bill bowed his head in proper submission to the Goblin before him, his dragon fang earring landing against his cheek. "My apologies, sir. How may this one serve?"

He kept his head bowed and eyes closed, a mark of respect and trust… as it left him vulnerable to a first strike by a Goblin… and Goblins rarely needed a second chance. Bill had no way of knowing what was going to happen, whether his dawning comprehension had made it to the upset Goblin. He could only hope that his employer saw a reason to continue his employment.

"Accepted." At Riqshak's voice, Bill opened his eyes to meet the other's gaze. "You were recalled because that Dark One has returned."

Bill nodded, though he knew his face was full of puzzlement_. Everyone knows that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been resurrected at the end of the summer. Why would they call me, though?_

"We know of your brood mates… the three males and one female."

Recklessly, Bill narrowed his eyes and interrupted his superior. "Brood…? You mean my brothers and sisters? But I have more than three brothers?"

The Goblin waved his hand in front of Bill, his own eyes becoming dangerous slits. "We mean only the ones still at your place of learning. We want you to speak with them… to deliver messages."

"What? My… family… why?"

The Goblin tilted his head. "Have you not read the papers, Bill Weasley? You know not why you were called, expected days ago?"

Bill felt something drop in his chest as he considered Riqshak's words. "What's going on?"

Riqshak's whole demeanor seemed to change, a look of almost pity crossing his face. "The Dark One has returned, but so has the Child of Light, as was promised to us by the Ancient Mother in the beginning times."

Sparing only a momentary glance at the floor beneath him, the light from the torches all around him causing the various pieces of the broken statue to glint and reflect back at him, Bill licked his lips nervously. "Are we talking prophecy?"

At Riqshak's nod, Bill felt emboldened. "Goblinatic prophecy?"

Goblins never spoke of their own prophecies. Could he mean the false prophecy that Professor Dumbledore had told the Order about so many years ago?

_What in the name of Merlin's sparkly socks is going on!_

The Goblin in front of him reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet. Bill felt his jaw drop open and his eyes widen at the headline.

Riqshak's voice spoke, though Bill was to intent on the paper to give much thought to it. "Harry Potter is at Hogwarts."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Professor?"

Severus Snape took a moment to control his breathing, not to begin shouting at the interruption. Carefully, he set the phials of various liquids down on his desk as his head came up to consider the child that has interrupted his work… _a second year, maybe third. First are too timid to dare walk the dungeons alone, while none in fourth or higher were suicidal enough to dare speak while he was in the middle of something._

Almost as an afterthought, he moved his hand to quickly snuff the small flame from the red-waxed candle that had been slowly heating the small decanter on the corner of his desk. Giving the rest of his desk a quick once over to insure that nothing else needed his immediate attention. Finally satisfied, he turned his sharp gaze back to the young boy… _no, young girl_, he amended, that still stood in his doorway.

"Yes? What is it?"

The girl was dressed in Ravenclaw colors. _At least it's not a Gryffindor_, though Snape knew that he wouldn't be seeing any of those for a while now that the actual identity of Brightwing had been revealed to be Harry Potter. At the thought of the boy, Snape felt his vision waver until the young girl before him seemed twist into becoming the object of his spite. No longer was there a timid girl with brown hair and eyes before him, but rather a walking, breathing representation of James Potter's victory… arrogant and cocky.

Brushing his hair away from his face, Snape glared at the vision… though his eyes were that of Lily's. Lily Evans. _He refused to consider her as Lily Potter_… a fact that her son forced the reality of Lily's choice

"I'm sorry to d-disturb you, P-Professor…"

Snape blinked as Harry Potter's mouth moved, but the voice was that of a female. Blinking away the remnants of his subconscious, Severus once again found himself staring at the girl. "What is your name?"

"Mar-Marsha Kiplinger, sir." She squeaked.

Snape sighed as he closed his eyes to compose himself and turned his dark eyes towards her. "And what was so important that you felt the need to interrupt me while I was working…" He looked around the empty classroom, his lips twisting evilly. "Not to mention that the Headmaster has instituted a mandatory curfew for all Houses due to the events of last week."

The girl's eyes were horrified as Snape stood, looming over her. "B-but…"

"Twenty pointes from Ravenclaw." He nearly shouted in glee. "And detention tomorrow evening at seven thirty sharp."

"B-but… but…"

"Yes?" He knew he could be intimidating. "What is it? I haven't got all night. Speak up."

"I-I-I'm here f-for the detention you gave m-me this morning, P-Professor."

Snape rocked back as if he'd been struck. _Detention? When did I assign detention?_ "What are you babbling about, Miss Kiplinger?"

He watched as she finally seemed to pull her act together, her fingers nervously dancing in front of her as she continued to meet his gaze. "Its seven thirty now."

He glanced over at the timepiece sitting against the wall. _Seven thirty. Exactly_.

_It's that Potter boy's fault! How can anyone concentrate when we're under orders to not talk about what happened or what is going to happen… and all the bloody students want to discuss is Harry Potter?_ Severus glanced at the ceiling of the room, ignoring the moisture and slime that had started pooling around the cracks, threatening to coagulate enough to start dripping on his students. _Maybe I can have Harry Potter sit there…_

He returned his gaze to the girl, her eyes nervously jumping back and forth. "Get out, Miss Kiplinger. Detention is cancelled."

The girl didn't wait to see if he'd change his mind, but instead darted out the door, once again leaving the Potion's Master alone in his classroom. Quietly, he moved with the shadows and returned to his desk, intending on finishing his evening's work… but once back at his desk, the desire to immerse himself back into the creation of the difficult potion no longer appealed to him as his eyes fell across the Daily Prophet laying crumpled next to his desk.

Closing his eyes, Severus Snape leaned back in his chair and pulled the sleeve back on his robe. His eyes stared down at the tattoo there. _The Death Mark. _ An announcement to all that he was one of Lord Voldemort's faithful followers…. One of the chosen few that served a man that most in the Wizarding Community thought to be the most powerful wizard of the day.

_The mark had been inactive for so long… all until Harry Potter had reappeared._

Without even realizing what he was doing, Severus had to wipe at the tears that threatened to fall.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Molly looked up into her husband's face. _He looks so tired._ "Arthur. Are we sure that Professor Dumbledore is right?"

Scanning the newspaper laying on the kitchen counter, her husband sighed softly, his eyes finally lifting from the photograph of their daughter, her friend Hermione Granger and Harry Potter that was taken outside of Hogwarts that graced the front page. She watched as his beautiful red hair seemed to actually grow gray before her eyes, aging him years in the span of minutes.

Finally, his eyes met hers. "We must trust in the prophecy… and in Dumbledore's vision. We made our choice long ago, dearest… to stand against the forces of darkness. Trust in the light. Trust that Ginny will be safe."

She nodded as she turned away to find something from a drawer, her hand quickly wiping away the tears that threatened to fall.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Lucius Malfoy laughed.

He'd never considered that there had been much reason in his life for laughter. As a child, he'd often fought against his parents, believing that they were weak, simple-minded fools that didn't understand the responsibility that had been placed upon their shoulders to make the world a better place. Unable to make them understand, Lucius had instead chosen to throw himself into his studies, to become the very best that he could be… to always make sure that he was on the winning side.

It had been no surprise that he had fallen into Slytherin when school started. What had come as a shock had been how a masterful wizard named Tom Riddle had taken him under his wing, their both having similar beliefs in regards to Muggles and Mudbloods. It had been such an easy transition from becoming a small leader in the Slytherin House to becoming a lieutenant for the Death Eaters, under the control and guidance of Riddle… though he now went by the name Lord Voldemort.

Everything had been perfect. Dumbledore and his followers were being beaten. His strongest supporters began running and hiding. The utopia that his Lord was bringing about was at hand… all to be somehow stopped fourteen years ago at the hand of a child.

He laughed at the absurdity. _A one-year-old boy had stopped the most powerful wizard to walk the Earth. Not a chance. People were such trusting fools._

_No. There had to have been a trap. Something set by James or Lily… or one of their pathetic friends, the blood traitor Sirius Black or the wolf, Remus Lupin. Either way, something had to have been planned._

The elder Malfoy began laughing again. _Oh, how we all had to dash to cover our tracks after his fall._ It had taken several favors and more money than he liked to consider to finally bribe his way to freedom, to keep his family and reputation safe. He shook his head as he recalled how many others had not been so lucky… but he'd saved as many as he could, recouping many of the favors that he'd had to spend to put himself back into a leadership position.

And a leader he was. He had toyed at trying to set himself up as the next Dark Lord, but his gut cautioned against such a move. No. Instead, he followed his instincts and was able to ingratiate himself into the Ministry of Magic… his prize currently occupied by that bumbling old fool, Cornelius Fudge.

The time to strike had come. _Minister Malfoy_… things could not have been riper for the picking… and then Lord Voldemort had returned. Pettigrew, the true traitor to the Potters had become a lieutenant to the Dark Lord, his position even higher that Malfoy's own.

_Something had changed._

With their Master once again reborn, a trap had been laid for that very night of darkest sorceries. Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and Harry Potter had been tricked into revealing themselves. _Revenge for everyone._ And everything was going according to plan… until the Ministry had appeared. They'd been following him all along. Malfoy laughed at his own stupidity to let himself fall into such complicity.

Now many of the Death Eaters were in Azkaban… Malfoy included. Now, he was guarded by some of the most grotesque and feared monsters in history: Dementors.

He remembered the satisfaction that Fudge had shown when he'd been able to sentence Lucius Malfoy to serve a life sentence in Azkaban Prison, no hope for parole. He'd laughed at the Minister, then. The assembled judges and witnesses had all blanched at him… at his laughter.

He'd sat for weeks alone in his cell… the only break in the monotony was the occasional bowl of food that was pushed through the small window at the door. Why were there locks? There was no Apparition off of the island… no boats to cross the icy sea… no escape. The idea of locks on an island that could never be escaped from was actually quite humorous.

The door began to swing open. Lucius grinned despite himself. The Ministry had sent several Aurors and other Department officials to question him… he'd just laughed. _What did they plan to ask him this time? Not much could be funnier than last time when they asked about Sirius Black's involvement in the resurrection ritual to return the Dark Lord to power._

As the door opened fully, Lucius felt his eyes widen as the laughter fell away from him.

"Ready to go?" The voice asked.

Lucius Malfoy blinked several times to make sure that this wasn't a dream… no hallucination… that what he was seeing was real. Finally, he stood, accepting the silver hand that reached out for him, lifting him from the ground. The fact that he was grimy and nasty and dirty didn't seem to bother Peter Pettigrew. In fact, Lucius idly wondered if the feral looking man didn't almost seem to be better suited to the filth that surrounded the two of them.

He felt the laughter return as his hand, filthy from weeks of clawing at the stone floor, closed over the Daily Prophet headline that Harry Potter lived and was at Hogwarts… a port key that his rescuer offered.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Red eyes scanned the papers that were scattered about the room. It had been over a week since that Skeeter woman had published the first article regarding Harry Potter in the Daily Prophet, but nowhere near the last. Shreds of newspaper littered the floor as anything that had to do with the young boy was put on the table before him so that he could consider everything.

There had been the announcement that Potter lived… a fact that he himself had always known thanks to Wormtail, but had kept silently to himself. That had been one of the first questions that his followers had asked upon his resurrection. He'd taught them the error of their ways in thinking he answered to them. He had been gone too long for them to become so complacent in their arrogance.

Shaking his head, he moved from the initial Daily Prophet article to the many follow ups that had started. The Quibbler had taken to spouting nonsense, though it did confirm many facts from the other, more respected paper. Magazine articles from Witch Weekly and other publications soon followed, each with their own in-depth look at the possibilities of his life and who he was.

_It was all rubbish. _

All that any of it could confirm… which was nothing more than that very first article had stated, was that Harry Potter was at Hogwarts under the protection of Albus Dumbledore. That he had made friends with a select few number of students, and that he was nothing special.

Nothing special, he grinned maliciously. It had been that woman's doing. His mother that had in fact bested him. Not the boy. Using Old Magic… a form of protection that even he had not been prepared for, but something that he could easily overcome now that he knew what he was up against.

_And now, the boy had to die._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Leaning his head back against the cold tile on the floor, Sirius Black stared up at the lights along the ceiling. They were ordinary, Muggle-styled neon lights that offered the kind of illumination that always made everyone look more dead than alive… which was kind of fitting, actually, since his life had practically come to an end since his capture a few months ago.

Whistling as if he didn't have a care in the world, Sirius silently wondered where Moony and Brightwing were. _If they were smart, they'd be out of the country… maybe the whole continent by now. But he was talking about his best mate and his godson… _

And he had to face the facts_… they weren't smart. They needed him to think for them… just like Prongs always relied on him to figure things out. _He smiled. _Poor boy would've never gotten Lily if he hadn't stepped in and saved the day. _

He continued the nameless tune as he ran through the various possibilities of what was going on outside of his small box he liked to consider hell. _Why am I not in Azkaban? Maybe I am in Azkaban and my mind has already cracked. Did Brightwing make it out of the graveyard?_

_Where the hell is Remus?_

_And worse… Voldemort is back… what are we going to do?_

Sirius pursed his lips, the song he'd been whistling still echoing softly from the blank walls of his cell. _It's going to be tougher to get out and then into Hogwarts… Dumbledore will surely have put up new wards and heavier security to keep the press out… _Lifting his head, he once again considered the fact that the room had no doors or windows. Four white tiled walls and a tiled ceiling and tiled floor.

Sirius hated riddles. Moony was always better at riddles, but if he ever hoped to get out of here… it was definitely up to him.

_At least its not Azkaban,_ he narrowed his eyes as he began examining the room in more detail _It'd take over a decade to find a way out of that place._


	19. Some Truths Exposed

A/N: All right. Here is the last of my already completed chapters. While that means that I've been able to post fairly quickly since this story began, it also means that depending on my muse, it could be a week or so before I get many more chapters out. I hope that this one is good enough to keep you satisfied until more comes out.

_DISCLAIMER: Do you know who I am? Since that answer is most likely a "no", then I am definitely not the owner of the contained characters and such._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN – SOME TRUTHS EXPOSED

Luna's gaze was pointed above everyone's head. "I still don't see it… it's gone."

"What's gone?" Neville laughed from behind her, apparently not at all annoyed that he had been interrupted in his talking with Harry.

"Nowhere… it's nowhere." Luna wailed. "Where's Kenya? She'd help me find it…"

_Kenya Miles was disappearing a lot._ Harry looked at Ginny, who was painfully obvious in looking anywhere except at Harry. Sighing, he turned and glanced over at Hermione. "Where _is_ Kenya?"

The bushy-haired girl shrugged.

"I can't believe you don't like Quidditch, Harry." Neville walked back to him in the apparent hope of restarting the earlier conversation, his breath showing in the cold air all around them.

Harry grinned as he shoved his gloved hands further into the old winter coat that Professor McGonagall had found for him. Even with the warming charm, it was till cold outside. "Its not that I don't like the game, Neville… just never had much of a chance to get into it."

"You're such a loser." Ginny yanked on his arm from the other side, pulling his attention to her. Smiling, she looped her arm through his and laughed. "How can you not like Quidditch… not make time for it? All my family does together is eat or play. Sometimes both at the same time."

"Yeah," Neville sighed. "But Fred, George and Ron all play for Gryffindor."

Harry watched as Ginny muttered under her breath. "Stupid gits should've let me play."

"Well… I for one am glad that not everyone has to be so obsessed about a silly game played on broomsticks. We could be inside where it's warm… studying or something…" Hermione rolled her eyes as everyone groaned.

Harry grinned as he wiggled his eyes at Ginny. "Okay. That does it. I have to get involved with Quidditch now. Anything to get away from more studying…"

"Hey!" Hermione playfully swatted at him, her lips turned up in a smile, as Ginny and Neville both started laughing out loud. "I can't help it that I hate flying."

"On brooms." Neville glanced at Harry. "She hates flying on brooms. But put her on one of those Muggle air-blans and she's fine with it."

"Plane." Hermione corrected. "It's air_plane_. Plane."

"Plain. Jane. Wayne. Who cares?" Ginny hugged tighter to Harry's arm. "At least Gryffindor is doing better this year."

"We didn't win last year?" Harry asked, trying to ignore how adorable Ginny looked, bundled under the multiple layers of clothes, her eyes sparkling and her nose red from the cold.

Ginny shook her head. "Last year Quidditch was cancelled because of the Tri-Wizard Tournament. The year before it was Hufflepuff, remember? Cedric the Awesome…"

"He should be." Luna suddenly offered out of the blue.

"What?" Harry glanced at the pretty blonde girl that kept dancing around like she was a dragon, roaring and then blowing smoke out of her mouth.

Luna twirled. "He's older than everybody else. That gives him an advantage."

Neville nodded as he caught Harry's puzzled expression. "Cedric should have graduated last year."

Harry blinked. "He failed?"

"No. No." Hermione grinned. "His fourth year, he got attacked by something in the Forbidden Forest… was taken to St. Mungo's and missed most of his classes. Professor Dumbledore required him to start the year over with the next class."

"Ouch." Harry frowned. "Why'd he go into the forest?"

Hermione suddenly blushed bright red. "He and I got caught helping… someone… get rid of a baby dragon. We were out of bed late at night and Malfoy turned us in. We had to serve detention with Mr. Filch, who had us help Professor Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest. Something was attacking unicorns and Cedric got hurt."

Harry shook his head. _Dumbledore sent children into the Forest?_ "Sorry I asked."

"That was the same year a Troll almost killed Hermione."

"What!" Harry looked at his curly-haired friend. "A troll?"

Shooting a glare at Neville, Hermione smiled at Harry. "It wasn't anywhere near as bad as that…" At Harry's look, she sighed. "I was crying in the girls' bathroom and suddenly several teachers broke into the room and took me out of there."

"That's it?" Harry asked.

He watched as Hermione and Ginny seemed to share a look, before Harry nodded. "Pretty much. We learned later that a troll had somehow gotten on the grounds and I was just in a bad place at the wrong time. Actually, I never even saw the troll…"

"Trolls and the Forbidden Forest, huh?" Harry grinned. "What else have I missed?"

"Not a lot." Neville complained. "I mean, you know about the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year…"

Hermione smiled. "Things have been pretty boring, but for that first year."

"Unless you count the Dueling Club." Ginny snickered.

Dueling club… what was it? Harry suddenly looked around. "By the way… was it Professor Lockhart or Professor Lockley that had the dueling club?"

Hermione suddenly laughed as both Ginny and Neville started guffawing. Harry watched clueless-ly. Luna finally danced along in front of him, her blue eyes so pale that they almost seemed white. "Gilderoy Lockhart."

Harry wrinkled his nose. "I've heard of him. Wrote Holidays With Hags. Horrible book. Remus made me read it after I spilled one of his… potions on his clothes… he smelled like a Thrstral stable for a week." Harry looked around. "He taught here?"

"If you call that teaching." Ginny laughed.

"Who was Lockley then?"

"How do you know about that?" Neville was wiping at the corners of his eyes.

Harry looked at all of them. "Cedric mentioned it on the train."

The light seemed to click on for his friends as they all smiled. It was Hermione that finally took pity on him. "We spiked his sugar spoon with a sex change charm near the end of term…."

"He actually threatened to come back the next year. Had to stop that, mate." Neville shivered. "Was for the good of the whole school."

"So, we started calling him Lovely Lockley Lockhart." Ginny finished. "Though as pretty a man as he was, he was an ugly woman."

Luna laughed, all thoughts of her mysterious bird having vanished. "I think it was because of his jaw line…"

"Professor Snape was so mad." Hermione grinned.

Harry tilted his head. "Snape? What did he have to do with it?"

"Cedric was the one who stole the supplies from the Potions Labs for the charm, though it was Ginny's idea to do it to the spoon." As Harry looked at her, she smiled. "A trick from Fred and George. Everyone checks the tea and the cup… nobody ever checks the spoon. Snape could never figure it out"

Neville laughed. "Last I heard, Lockhart still doesn't drink tea…. Though I wonder if he still has that spoon."

"Stay away from the soup…" Luna added.

"On to other subjects…" Ginny pulled him out of his thoughts as everyone slowly regained their composure from the laughter. "We beat Ravenclaw last game since Cho's been kicked off the team as part of her punishment… so we just have to beat Slytherin today… and we're looking good."

"Speaking of that, have you talked with Cho yet?" Neville asked.

"I said other subjects. I meant back to Quidditch." Ginny growled.

Harry shook his head, ignoring her. "Nope. She won't get near me…"

"Poor Cedric." Hermione added. "The wonder couple seems broken up for good. I hope he'll get over this soon…"

"Poor Cedric?" Neville laughed suddenly. "The only person getting more attention from the girls here at school than Cedric is Harry here… right, mate?"

"Really?" Ginny's voice suddenly darkened, her mood already not the best at his apparently not paying attention to her.

_Thanks there, Neville, old friend._ Harry smiled. "I have absolutely no idea what he's talking about, Ginny."

Ginny's gaze lingered over his for a few moments until she finally nodded, her brown eyes sparkling. "Make sure it stays that way, Mr. Potter."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

The party had started near on immediately after Gryfindor's win over Slytherin: two-sixty to two-forty. Harry had to admit, he was impressed with the game and could definitely understand why the sport was all the rage across the Wizarding Community. He'd felt his heart in his throat every time one of the twins would go against the Slytherin Keeper to score a goal, just as it had been nearly impossible to keep from shouting at Ron when he allowed a ball to go through the Gryffindor hoop.

The game had bounced back and forth and back and forth in the beginning, before Fred and George Weasley decided to take the game in hand and start abusing the reserve Slytherin team (most of the others having been suspended for the outburst in the Great Hall). Between the two of them, Gryffindor took a commanding lead… which they held for nearly three hours before Draco Malfoy (who had conveniently escaped punishment) had finally grabbed the snitch for Slytherin on a lucky grab, but the one-hundred fifty points were not enough to overtake the lead. Everyone had been ecstatic, the Gryffindor bleachers suddenly screaming in victory.

So it was that the celebration began in earnest once the Gryffindor Lions finally entered into the common room to the waiting arms and shouts of congratulations from the rest of the House.

Harry grinned as he sipped on the Butterbeer that had been placed in his hand by Fred, marveling at the changes that had occurred since the beginning of the school year. No longer in hiding, the excitement and novelty of him being at Hogwarts had eventually worn off… sure, it picked back up after his quad had defeated Professor Shacklebolt, but that too had fallen by the wayside over the insanity of Quidditch season.

"Having a good time?" Ron was suddenly there in front of him, a cup in his hand.

Harry nodded and smiled. "Nice game out there, mate. You did great."

Ron beamed. Harry tried not to roll his eyes as Ron turned and sat next to him on the edge of the couch. "I owe you an apology."

Harry turned and looked at him, not saying anything. Ron's ears were reddening. "I was a prat to you. I never gave you a chance. I just saw my sister… younger sister… all over this strange bloke and all I could think was to get her away from you."

Harry stared at him. "Does it matter that I'm Harry Potter rather than Brightwing?"

Ron's lips twisted to the side of his face as he scanned the room. "I won't lie… it helped." Ron sipped at his drink. "Doesn't say much for me, I know… but you're easier to like as Harry than Brightwing."

Harry gripped the bottle in his hand as he silently considered Ginny's brother. He looked across the room to see that Ginny, Hermione and the twins were watching the two of them talk. Harry dropped his eyes to the floor before looking back at Ron. "You understand that its attitudes like that … caring more for the name than the person… that's why we can't be friends."

Ron's eyes jerked up to stare at Harry. "What?"

Harry shook his head sadly. "I don't want to be your enemy. I think you're a great guy… an awesome Quidditch player… and you're handy in the war games. But you like me because some idiotic newspaper reporter coined me as The-Boy-Who-Vanished."

Harry tuned his gaze over towards Ginny, his eyes lighting up when he saw her watching him. "I'm Brightwing, Ron. I hated telling everyone that name, but it was the one that meant more to me. The one that Hermione and Neville and Cedric… Luna… and Ginny all came to care for me by."

"I didn't mean…"

"I know, Ron." Harry smiled sadly. "And maybe that will change… maybe not. I appreciate you being honest. That's why I felt you deserved the same."

"By not being my friend?" Ron's eyes were accusatory.

"You want to be friends with Harry Potter." Harry downed the rest of his Butterbeer. "Fine. You can be friends with Harry Potter. In the meantime, however…" He handed the empty bottle to Ron. "Brightwing is going to ask your sister to dance."

He left the redheaded boy sitting on the back of the couch as he navigated his way through the throngs of students that were throughout the common area. More than once, Harry had to decline as one or more students called out for him to join them… some even mouthing some very adult ideas of fun. He declined them all, his eyes only for Ginny. It seemed like forever before he finally pushed past the last person in his way and was standing before his target.

"Enjoying the party?" Ginny smiled, her hands both carefully holding a bottle of Butterbeer.

Harry grinned. "I am now."

"Whoa… hold on, mate." Fred stepped up, his hand on Harry's chest. Ginny's eyes were dancing with mirth.

"You hitting on our sister, mate?"

"Sure that's something you wanna be doing?"

Harry continued smiling at Ginny, never sparing a look towards either brother, as each seemed to be holding him back. Studying her, he realized he could stand there all day, but that he knew he wanted to dance with her. "Care to dance?"

Ginny's smile became a grin as she arched her eyebrow. "The music stopped."

_What?_ Harry turned around and looked to see that Lee Jordan was holding his wand over the music player, refusing to allow it to continue playing. His eyes were staring directly at Harry's.

"Sorry, mate…"

"Just wasn't…"

"In the cards…"

"For you tonight."

Harry turned back to the three redheads, though he only had eyes for Ginny. _Where'd Hermione go?_ Not missing a beat, he held his hand out to her, ignoring the twins' arms crossed across his chest. "Care to dance?"

Ginny tilted her head in question. Harry stood as still as a statue, his hand held out to her. Finally, she nodded. Harry watched her hand her bottle of Butterbeer to one brother while she stepped past both of them. "I'd love to dance, but…"

"No." Harry smiled as he interrupted her, his hand taking hers and pulling her away from her two brothers who were watching him.

As they finally made it near the center of the room, several other students were starting to complain about the music being off, though all Lee would do was point over toward the twins. Before things could get out of hand, Harry took Ginny into his arms and leaned closer to her face. "What music do you like?"

He watched as Ginny licked her lips. He waited until she seemed to have to shake herself out of whatever thoughts she might be considering before she finally responded. "Uhm… something slow?"

Harry nodded as she slowly, carefully, put her arms around his neck. He ignored the blush that crept up her neck towards her cheeks as he placed both of his hands on her waist.

"Hands! Watch those hands." The twins both began yelling, which caused much of the room to start laughing. Ginny was now blushing a beautifully obvious red, as Harry winked at her.

"Watch this."

Looking over at the wireless music box, Harry silently sent a power spell at the small device. He was gratified to see the look of absolute shock on Lee's face as the Wireless Wizarding Network suddenly started playing. The black student hurriedly dropped it onto the table it had been sitting on and moved as far from the table as was possible.

The first song was one of the newer hits by the Myron Wagtail and the Weird Sisters, which Harry immediately changed. Many of the people in the room were now alternating their looks between the couple in the middle of the room and the music box that was changing channels all by itself.

"Harry?" Ginny asked, her eyes wide.

Looking at her, he smiled. "Yes?"

"You don't have your wand, do you?"

The music suddenly found a channel playing something slower. Instinctively, Harry began to dance slowly, a smile on his face as Ginny matched the movement. He ignored the fact that no one else was dancing at the moment. "Always. It's in my back pocket."

"But then…" Ginny's face was scrunched up in confusion. "How did…?"

Harry smiled at her. "I wanted to dance."

Ginny's eyes flashed. "Harry James Potter!"

He couldn't help the grin that covered his face. Yes. Ginevra Molly Weasley. I did wandless magic. Worse, though… I did non-verbal wandless magic."

"How can you…"

Letting the grin fall, he stared deeply into her eyes, hoping she felt something similar to what he felt for her. Dropping his voice really low, he pulled her close. "I'm Brightwing."

Ginny stared at him openmouthed for a moment before she suddenly broke out into full laughter, her eyes closed shut while she giggled. Her amusement at his joke, made him smile as they continued to dance. While his dance partner continued to struggle through various fits of laughter, Harry watched as others slowly started to dance also… though very few went near to where Lee had dropped the music box…

Harry lost himself into dancing with Ginny, keeping her close. Hermione and Neville had drifted closer for a bit… and the twins (dancing with each other, no less) had made sure to offer more threats towards the status of Harry's hands on their little sister. He couldn't remember how many dances that they went through… some slow, some fast. Everything seemed fine with the world at the moment.

Eventually, they had to take a break. He rested his chin on top of Ginny's head as the two sat on a recently vacated spot on one of the stuffed chairs in back of the common room. There had only been one seat, which Harry had offered to Ginny, but she had instead pushed him down first and then proceeded to drop directly into his lap… a situation that he found himself quite fond of, but that could lead to some very embarrassing situations later. Ginny had eventually moved to their both mutual comfort, and had laid her head against his chest, allowing him to be rest his own head atop her red hair.

It was in the quiet… the twins, Hermione, Neville and many of the others either off to bed or secluded in another area of the Gryffindor tower… that Ginny's voice seemed to break him out of his trance.

"Harry?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Mmm?"

"Do you think I'm pretty?"

Harry grinned. "Is that an official question? Finally?"

Sighing, the petite redhead in his lap pulled her head away from his chest and brought her eyes up to meet his. Harry held her gaze, refusing to pull away… hoping to prevent her from doing the same. "Do I need to make it one?"

Watching her, Harry brought his face closer to hers. "I think you're beautiful."

"Really?"

He nodded silently.

"Let's see…" Ginny started sucking on her lower lip as she looked to the ceiling, her eyes lost somewhere. "What else to ask…"

"So… we're playing?"

Ginny looked at him. "Absolutely. We've got no classes tomorrow… Hogsmeade trips have been temporarily suspended even with all of the Aurors around… why not?"

"I can't see any reason not to play." Harry smiled at seeing her happy.

Okay… question number one."

"Wait." Harry interrupted her.

"What?"

"This would be question number two."

Ginny's face scrunched up in confusion. Comprehension flooding her face, she immediately began shaking her head. "No. I asked if I needed to make it an official question. You didn't answer. That means that one doesn't count."

He pretended to pout. "Fine."

Ginny laughed softly. "Don't try puppy face with me, Harry. I mastered that trick years ago with having six older brothers." She shook her head. "Not going to work."

Harry rolled his eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her eyes suddenly mischievous. "Do you ever think about kissing me?"

_How much Butterbeer did she drink?_ Harry was suddenly very glad that the lights had been turned down low due to the lateness of the hour as he felt his face flush.

Ginny's eyes sparkled. "Well?"

"Uhm… I…"

"No passes, remember?" Ginny teased.

Harry ducked his head down as he tried to look anywhere but at her… but he was trapped in her arms. _Padfoot would be on the floor. _

"Yes." He finally answered, knowing that his face had to be a darker red than her hair.

Ginny just seemed to smile for a moment, the mysteries of the universe suddenly handed to her. "Question number two…" Harry groaned as he tried to pull away, but she held on to his neck tightly. "Do you like the idea of kissing me?"

Harry sighed. "Yes."

If possible, Ginny's grin became even more diabolical. "Number three, do you pleasantly think of kissing me often?"

"Yes." He closed his eyes, wondering if the room was glowing from the redness of his cheeks.

"Four…" Ginny paused. "Number four." Harry opened one of his eyes. Ginny was watching him carefully. "Why haven't you kissed me, yet?"

_What am I waiting for?_ He lifted his hands slowly to her face. He smiled at seeing Ginny's eyes brighten momentarily before she closed her eyes, pressing her cheeks into the palms of each hand. _This is probably a mistake_… Harry leaned forward, his own eyes closing, as his lips softly brushed across hers.

Pulling her gently closer, Harry allowed for his lips to press a little more firmly against hers, giving them both a chance to decide where this was going. He was pleased to feel her arms tighten around his neck, forcing their faces to draw nearer, the kiss becoming harder.

Ginny whimpered softly, her mouth suddenly opening, as Harry felt his tongue slip into her mouth, meeting her own. His hands moved from her face to the back of her head, his fingers suddenly deeply entangled in her hair… the playful ponytail she'd worn earlier somehow tossed aside, _though Harry couldn't for the life of him remember when or how_. If there had been any worry as to how Ginny might feel towards his desire for her, they were soon as substantial as the wind as he felt her own need to touch him reach out.

His mind suddenly seemed to come unglued, the control on his center vanishing under her small hands tightening their grip in his hair and the soft moans from deep within her throat... _or perhaps his own_. Harry could feel his magic suddenly release... encompassing both of them in a safe web of… something, as he felt her heart beating perfectly in time with his own.

Harry could feel the room, the various people about the common area, so many fewer than he'd originally considered… though it was more an innate knowledge of what was than any type of conscious observation, as all possible mental abilities were lost in the touch of Ginny's lips to his. There was no one anywhere near them, their corner hiding spot safe at the moment, though he could feel that someone was looking for her… maybe him, too.

And in that moment, his mouth devouring hers, he realized that she could sense everything that he did… that Ginny understood everything that was going on in that room as much as he did… from the various people that walked up and down the stairs into or out of their dormitories… the half drank bottle of fire whisky that was under the couch… the sleeping form of someone… Ron, maybe from his size… in front of the still burning hearth.

The kiss fell away as Ginny pulled back, her eyes opening lazily. Harry was happy to see that the passion in her eyes had not lessened, but seemed sated for the moment. He knew that a similar sated look might be visible in his own, as well. Almost of their own accord, his eyes glanced down at her lips, slightly swollen from the kiss… their snogging, truth be told… and he wondered at his own.

"Wow." She whispered and Harry had to stifle a laugh. Her eyes flickered dangerously, as her eyebrows drew down. "Why are you laughing?"

"Unless that's five…" He smiled as he shook his head and lightly kissed her lips again, pulling back before it became something more than either one of them might want to stop.

"That won't work…"

He kissed her softly again, reveling in the notion that he could kiss her. At her outraged look, she opened her mouth again, but Harry kissed her a third time. Finally, she rolled her eyes and leaned down to kiss him. "Fine. It will work this time…"

"Good to know."

Her eyes flickered around as she looked back at him. "What was that? Inside the kiss, I mean…"

He smiled as he slowly removed his fingers from her hair, pausing every time she winced. "Sorry." She waved her hand and he continued until his hands were free.

With his hands safely out of her hair, he watched as Ginny tried straightening her appearance as best she could, although there was only so much one could do while sitting in another person's lap.

Once situated, she looked at him again, her eyes bright. "Well?"

Harry grinned. "Can't we just kiss some more?"

It thrilled him to see her blush suddenly, her eyes sparkling. "I cannot believe I did that…" She closed her eyes for a moment before looking down at him. "My mother would have a fit."

Smiling, he reached up and touched her chin, tilting her head up. "You okay?"

She smiled at him. "Absolutely…" She pulled back from his hand, her widening gaze hard. "You're changing the subject!" You can't do that! Don't avoid my question."

Harry shrugged, his hand falling away from her face, dropping back to her waist. "Not really avoiding the question, Gin. It's just a long story and I like the idea of snogging with you for a little bit longer…"

He watched her ears turn red again, as she looked around the room. "But someone's looking for us… and how can I possibly know that?"

The sound of a throat clearing behind them caught both of their attention. Harry peered over Ginny's shoulder as the redhead twisted on Harry's lap to see behind her.

Hermione was standing there, her face seeming to be red even though the room was mostly dark. _I have never seen so many people blush in my life since coming to this school. _ He felt Ginny's body shaking, possibly from trying to hold the laughter in, as Hermione started apologizing. "I'm so sorry, Ginny… Harry."

Harry lifted his eyebrow as Ginny turned to look at him, before both of them started laughing. Hermione's face went from bashful to surprised to suspicious all in the span of moments. Her eyes gleaming in curiosity, she tiptoed over to the chair they were both occupying.

Hermione's eyes grew larger as she looked from both Harry to Ginny, her gaze obviously following the rumpled appearance of his clothes and Ginny's hair. He smiled as he watched Ginny quickly mouth _later_ to her friend as Hermione sat on the chair's arm.

"I didn't mean to… interrupt anything…" Harry felt his own face flush as Ginny's ears turned red. "But I was worried when I saw it was nearly three in the morning and Ginny was no where to be found."

"Three?"

"In the morning?" Ginny finished his thought.

Hermione grimaced at both of them. "Don't the two of you start mimicking Fred and George. One set of linked idiots is enough."

Ginny and Harry laughed.

"What are you doing, anyway?" Hermione asked.

Harry started to respond, but Ginny beat him to it. "I was asking my twenty questions."

"Really?" Hermione sniffed as if she didn't believe her.

Ginny grinned. "I was."

Hermione pointedly looked Ginny over. "Exhausting work, asking questions, apparently."

Harry smiled as Ginny tilted her head to the side. "I guess I ask better questions than you do."

If Hermione was offended by Ginny's remark, she didn't show it. "So, what number are you on?"

Harry looked at Ginny when the small girl in his lap looked at him. Harry shrugged, as Ginny blew a loose strand of hair away from her face. "Five, I think."

He nodded. "That's right. Five."

Hermione looked unconvinced. "And what's the next question?"

Ginny looked at him, her eyes refusing to let his go. "I wanted to know about…" her ears suddenly flared red.

"What?" Hermione glanced between them. Harry only shrugged.

Ginny's eyes darkened. "You're going to make me ask it in front of her, aren't you?"

Harry grinned evilly as he nodded. "I think I am."

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him before she quickly leaned down and kissed him. Harry had enough time to see Hermione's look of shock, possibly at the public display of affection, before he closed his eyes to meet the kiss. He sighed as it ended almost as quickly as it had begun, the potential for being embarrassed for kissing Ginny in front of Hermione not bothering him at all.

Harry opened his eyes to see Ginny looking at Hermione. "Harry was just about to explain why it is that when we kissed, I could sense everything that was going no in the room."

"What?"

Harry closed his eyes against the potential verbal assault. _Figures that I finally get to kissing Ginny and now I'm in the middle of a discussion about things that have been secret for as long as I've known about it. With Hermione, the question queen, herself._

"Shhh!" Ginny admonished Hermione. "If people hear us, we'll have to wait…and no, Harry. You can't make noise to get people's attention and get out of this."

Harry knew his eyes were wide at Ginny's remark. "How'd you…?"

Ginny nervously glanced back and forth between Harry and Hermione. "I… I don't know. It just seemed… seemed like what you were going to do."

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

"I wasn't actually going to do that…" He smiled apologetically to Ginny. "But I was thinking it."

Hermione was clearly intrigued. "Harry, think of a number."

"Okay."

"Ginny?" Hermione asked. "Can you guess what it is?"

Harry watched as Ginny looked at him, her eyes calculating. "Fourteen."

He looked at Hermione, shaking his head. "Not even close."

"Oh, well… so much for instant mind reading." Ginny smiled as she leaned down to kiss Harry.

Their lips met for only a moment before Ginny leaned back, her eyes in shock. "Two hundred nineteen thousand six hundred forty-seven."

Harry knew his eyes were wide. "How? Wait? What?"

"That was the number?" Hermione was suddenly there. "And Ginny… you knew it after you kissed Harry?"

Ginny nodded numbly as she stared at Harry. _What is going on?_

"Hermione?" Harry asked, but the girl was shaking her head.

"I have no idea, Harry. Maybe you and Ginny bonded somehow…"

Ginny shot a glare at the other girl. "A bond?" Hermione shrugged as she kept looking between Harry and Ginny.

_What a second!_ Harry sat up straighter, bringing both girls' attention back to him. "I have an idea… but it will mean testing it a bit and answering questions later." As both began to open their mouths in protest, he pushed on before they could interrupt. "I'm not trying to get out of anything… I promise, but you have to trust me on this."

Hermione looked put out by the request, but eventually nodded. "Okay… but I want some answers soon."

Harry nodded as he looked at Ginny. "Agreed?"

The redhead in his arms looked at him, her eyes challenging. "That depends."

Harry sighed. "On what?"

Ginny's face broke out into a huge smile. "On whether I can kiss you between now and when you finally tell us what's going on."

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Hermione quickly adjusting her gaze as Harry pulled Ginny into a kiss_. I hope that's good enough of an answer. _


	20. Apologies from Everywhere

DISCLAIMER: It's all mine. J.K. Rowling is lying… :sigh: I wish.

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I hope to have two or three more chapters up soon after this one. I got caught up reading "The Refiner's Fire" and "Time of Destiny." Both are fabulous, unbelievable stories by Abraxan. Check them out.

Oh… and if you don't mind… more reviews!

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER NINETEEN – APOLOGIES FROM EVERYWHERE

Ginny twirled in place in the middle of the corridor on her way to lunch, completely oblivious to all of the other people staring at her childish behavior, trying to get around of her.

"Will you come on…" Hermione grabbed Ginny's shoulder and pulled her out of the middle of the hallway, sending an apologetic look to some of the other students that were upset at the redhead. "Seriously, Ginny, we're never going to make it to the Great Hall in time to eat if you keep acting like a wooly-headed nerf herder."

_Huh?_ Ginny stopped spinning and looked at her friend. "A what?"

Hermione let Ginny's arm go and smiled. "A wooly-headed nerf herder."

"What in Merlin's name is a…?"

Hermione interrupted her and laughed. "Nevermind." Shaking her head, she grabbed Ginny's arm and started leading her towards the Great Hall. "I'd ask what you were so happy about, but I could do without the love struck teenager routine."

Ginny laughed as she caught up. "I wouldn't say love struck…" At Hermione's glare, Ginny giggled. "Well, _I_ wouldn't actually say it out loud…"

"Honestly… ever since the party, you two have been almost revolting."

"How can you say that?" Ginny felt offended… _okay, slightly offended_. "We never really kiss in public…"

"Because of your brothers."

"And really very few people know that we're together…"

"Again, because of your brothers."

She continued to ignore Hermione. "And we haven't spent every walking moment together…"

Hermione snorted. "Because of classes."

Pulling her arm away from Hermione, Ginny shot her friend a dark look once she'd turned to look at her. "What is wrong? What's going on?"

She watched as the curly-haired brunette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Ginny patiently waited, refusing to push too hard, and waited for her best friend to open up. Finally, Hermione opened her eyes and looked directly at her. "I'm sorry."

Ginny tilted her head to the side. "What? Why are you sorry?"

"I think I'm jealous."

_Well. That was unexpected._ Ginny sat there quietly as she tried to come up with a response. "You're jealous?" At Hermione's nod, she blew out a breath. "But… no. I mean, you're the one who got us together…" Ginny felt her stomach suddenly become queasy. "Are you regretting me and Harry…?"

Hermione's eyes shot wide open. "No!" _Oh, thank Merlin…_ "No. Not at all, Ginny. I think you and Harry are great together…."

"Then what is it?"

Ginny watched as she leaned against the wall, her posture almost defeated. "You and Harry are great… and you're my best friend. But, lately, things seem so different. Cedric and Cho are split up… Luna is off in her own world most of the time…"

"Tell me."

Hermione looked up and stared intently at Ginny. "I wonder if there's any one out there for me."

"I'm guessing that if I mention Viktor Krum, you'll hurt me."

She nodded. "Many broken pieces. Harry will be inconsolable."

Ginny grinned. "Got it. What about Neville? I saw the two of you dancing at the victory party…"

Hermione was shaking her head negatively. "Neville's sweet, don't get me wrong… but I just can't see us together."

"Cedric's available."

"No way am I going into that rebound." Hermione sighed. "He's cute, but no way. And besides, he's still completely broken hearted about Cho."

Ginny took a calming breath and tried counting to ten. "Has Cho talked yet?"

"Not a word to anyone as far as I can discover." Hermione offered a weak smile. "So, either she's not saying anything to anybody…"

"Or whoever she's talking to isn't talking to us." Ginny finished.

"Exactly."

"Do you find everything about her this year kind of…"

"Off?" Hermione supplied.

Ginny nodded. "It's like she's someone else completely."

Hermione sighed. "What should we do about it?"

"I'm not sure, but between the two of us there has to be an answer."

Together, she and Hermione pulled back from the wall and slowly started moving to the Great Hall. "Do you want to talk some more?"

Hermione smiled, it actually reaching her eyes. "I do, but you need to meet up with Harry…"

Ginny sighed aloud. "No. He's with Fred and George… something about wanting to see the map that I told him about. He was really excited."

"A map?"

Nodding, she playfully ran into Hermione. "The twins have a map of the school that was created by Prongs, Moony, Padfoot and Wormtail."

"Moony and Padfoot?" Hermione's voice was full of disbelief.

Ginny smiled. "Yeah. When I told Harry, he became really excited and had me convince them to let him see it."

"Apparently, you did."

"I did." Ginny shifted the book bag she was carrying to her other shoulder. "It took some work, but once they learned that Harry could identify who the makers of the map were, it was enough to just get out of their way from going to meet up with Harry."

Hermione tilted her head as she looked at her. "If Harry ditched you for your brothers, then why were you spinning in the hallway?"

Ginny grinned. "Harry kissed me in front of my brothers…"

"Oh."

She nodded, unable to stop the grin from growing wider. "Yes. He told them that we were seeing each other…"

"That's all?" Hermione's voice went up an octave.

Ginny laughed. "Is that all? Anyone brave enough to my brothers that he liked me is something monumental. I can't wait to wri…"

"How very droll." A voice interrupted. "You and Potter. Seeing each other. So very… sweet."

Ginny and Hermione both stopped talking and looked up in surprise to find Draco Malfoy leaning against one of the doorways leading into the Great Hall, effectively blocking their path. Ginny shared a quick look with her friend, her heart immediately beating faster. _Why now?_

"What do you want, Draco?" Hermione demanded, moving to step between the Slytherin and Ginny. The move was not lost on either Ginny or Malfoy. "One quick yell and people will know something's going on."

Draco stood straight, the smile never leaving his pale face. He slowly lifted both hands in front of him, palms towards them. "I just wanted to talk. That's all."

"Talk?" Ginny nearly spat out the word. "Since when do you want to _talk_?"

Malfoy started to lower his hands, but held them away from his robes. "I want to talk to you, Ginny. I think you need to know some things about Harry Potter."

"She doesn't want to hear anything you have to say, Malfoy!" Hermione nearly shouted. "Especially not about Harry Potter."

"Quiet, Mudblood." Draco's ice blue eyes moved from Ginny to look directly at her friend. "I came with knowledge and… an olive branch, so to speak. Away from all of your little… friends. But I will not have you speaking to me like you matter."

"Draco!" Ginny hissed. _What a prat!_ "If you're wanting to talk to me, insulting my friends is not the way to go about it."

The boy shrugged. "That's fine. You've been left alone this year…"

"You mean because Harry scared you back at the beginning of term." Hermione countered. Ginny wanted to laugh aloud at the face Draco made.

"Because," Draco continued. "There were many other more important things going on. Silly little games with the pretty girls at school had to wait."

_Pretty? Is he complimenting us? Me?_ Ginny sighed. "Tell me what you've got to say, Draco. I'm hungry and you're blocking the door to the Great Hall."

"I'm sorry that I came across so… so mean before, Ginny…."

"Don't." Ginny cautioned.

He nodded with a sad smile on his lips. "I do care for you. It's hard… my family… my father… I wanted to make you happy."

"You moving would make me happy."

Draco stepped out of their way, his bow was perfect, but Ginny felt that it was somehow mocking. "As you wish."

Ginny considered running into the Great Hall the moment he moved, but held herself back. Glancing at Hermione in silent apology, she looked over at the Slytherin. "You said something about an olive branch…"

"I did."

Ginny pressed her lips together to keep from retorting at the pleased look on his face. "And?"

"I know that he and I got off on the wrong foot, and for that I do apologize." Ginny had trouble keeping the look of shock off of her face. "So while I wish I could make this offer to him directly, I know that he will not listen."

"And you think I will?"

Draco regarded her carefully. "I think that as… close... as the two of you are rumoured to be, he will listen to anything you have to say… and" He held up a hand to stop Hermione from interrupting him again. "Once you hear the offer, I cannot believe you will not take it to him."

_I hate you!_ Ginny wanted to shout. "Fine. What is this… offer he can't refuse?"

The platinum haired boy smiled. "Tell Potter that I can get him out of Hogwarts."

"That's it?" Hermione sounded bored. Ginny wanted to gape like a fish. _Is that all? That might be everything to Harry._

Draco shrugged. "I have many favors owed to me… contacts that can do favors for me. I would think that getting Potter out of here from under the watchful gaze of the Aurors and Dumbledore would be enough."

"We can't trust you." Ginny argued. "And you never do anything without benefit to yourself."

"What's in it for you?" Hermione summed up Ginny's concern.

Ginny watched as Draco turned to look at her. He was quiet for a moment, before he finally nodded. "Potter is bad for this school. All of these guards and the weekends to Hogsmeade having been cancelled. I want things to go back to how they were."

"And that's it?" Ginny asked knowing that her voice betrayed that she didn't believe a word he said.

He nodded. "I don't like him here… for whatever reason you want to label me with… I want him gone and I am willing to spend a small fortune and pull whatever strings I can to get him away from me…. Away from you. You need to be kept safe."

"I still don't trust you." Ginny grimaced.

He shrugged. "Harry Potter is dangerous… and you believing that he is anything other than the dangerous criminal that everyone with any sense knows he is will only hurt you… and your friends in the long run."

Hermione stepped forward, her eyes blazing to start in on the Slytherin, when Kenya suddenly appeared coming out of the Great Hall, relief apparent on her face. "Ginny! Hermione! There you are. I was wondering when you'd get here."

"We're done here, Malfoy." Ginny nearly spat, as she and her friend walked past him to join their dark skinned rescuer.

"But you'll tell Harry about my offer?"

_Damn you!_ Ginny refused to meet his gaze as she practically ran into the safety of the Great Hall. "Yes."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Ginny watched as Harry stared out the window of the common room, his body so close to hers, but his thoughts so far away. She had suspected he might react this way, turning in on himself, trying to rationalize the guilty feelings he felt over being happy with her… _he is happy, right?..._ even with his godfather and uncle still out there.

His eyes had been so green, like flames built of emeralds, when she'd walked into the common room after all of her classes. The stress and worry of the day had melted away as he had smiled over her brother's head, Ron royally trouncing him in a game of wizard's chess. She had so wanted to touch him, to feel his arms wrap around her… to taste the warmth of his lips.

She had waited patiently, allowing for everyone to get their fill of associating and being friends with Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Vanished. Several times, Harry had silently gestured for her to join him, to not be excluded, but she had smiled each time, knowing that he could see her passion for him in her eyes, and had gone back to her studies. Each time, he'd smiled and gone back to whatever game or discussion he'd been involved with.

It was during one of those times that Neville had sat down next to her, his face free of any worry and had laughed at her attempts of being good. "Everyone in Gryffindor knows about the two of you… possibly all of the other Houses, as well."

She knew her eyebrows had to have gone into her hairline at his statement, though he had acted like it was just a casual conversation. "They know what exactly?"

Neville had laughed. "That the two of you fancy each other." She had balked at his claim, but he'd only shaken his head. "Everyone watches him, even after things seemed to calm down since Halloween. People always know where he is… and you are always there, too. It was only a matter of time before someone caught you kissing each other."

Ginny blushed at the memory of the conversation, sure that she had gone red then, too. Neville had laughed… a good sound, his laughter, and had then explained that everyone was taking up as much of Harry's time as they could before she went over to him… the unspoken agreement of her Housemates that she and Harry would be given privacy once they were together.

"Ron's okay with this?" She asked. Neville had shrugged, telling her to relax, that Fred and George had talked to him once the news had broken that the two of them were a couple. _Were she and Harry really a couple?_

She'd shaken her head, embarrassed, but had thanked Neville for cheering her up and had decided to make the best use of the information he'd provided. It had only taken a moment for her to smile at Harry, quickly moving over to him and sitting next to him. Neville's advice had been right on. As soon as she'd sat down, Harry had interlinked his fingers with hers and the people who'd been involved in the conversation had made their polite excuses and left the two of them alone.

"Hi."

She'd felt her whole body go warm when he'd smiled at her, his eyes softening with her so close. He'd leaned closer and had asked her about her day, wondering why she'd stayed away for so long. Laughing quietly, she'd shared Neville's observations. Harry's eyes had widened. Together, they both had glanced around the room, observing that apparently everyone was giving them their space.

She'd hated that instead of spending some quality time together, she instead told him of Draco Malfoy's offer… which immediately put him into the mood that he'd been in for the past fifteen minutes. Hermione had come in a few minutes earlier and had quietly approached. Harry had not even noticed, his attention somewhere out the window.

"You told him?" She'd asked.

Ginny had nodded silently, not wanting to break the quiet that Harry had imposed.

Her friend has smiled sympathetically. "What can I do?"

She'd shrugged in response.

Hermione had finally patted her on the shoulder and had told her that she'd be upstairs if she needed support or wanted to talk. Ginny had watched her go upstairs without ever saying a word, not sure of what she was going to do. Harry had ignored it all.

Ginny had sat back and waited. There had been a moment where tears had threatened. _What is he thinking? Is he going to leave?_

She started at feeling Harry's hand find hers. Looking down, she found Harry's fingers around hers. Looking up, she'd found him staring at her, his gaze intense.

"I'm sorry." _Oh, Merlin… he's going to leave._

Ginny met his gaze, refusing to blink. "For what?"

Harry turned away from the window, facing directly in front of her. "I don't want to worry you."

"Harry…"

"No." He smiled and she felt her heart in her throat. "I want to find Sirius and Remus… so much more than I could ever say, but I don't want to leave you… not now. Maybe not ever."

_Not ever!_ Ginny fought to keep her face passive when all her insides seemed to want to do was jump up and down. "I wish I could help."

"You do. Please don't ever doubt that, Ginny." He reached out and took both of her hands in his. "Padfoot always said that sometimes the greatest of joys could come from the worst of tragedies."

"Your parents dying?" Ginny asked.

Harry nodded. "I know that he would gladly have died to bring them back… pay any price, but he often told me… me and Moony, that even on the run, the three of us being together was more fun and fulfilling than anything else he'd ever done."

She's not been able to stand it then and suddenly was in his arms, hugging him for all that he was worth. "Oh, Harry…"

Ginny had smiled as he returned the embrace, holding her tight, his arms around her. "Besides… I'm not sure even being as great as I am that I could get Padfoot out of wherever they're holding him."

She laughed, unable to hold it in. Closing her eyes, enjoying the smell of him, she whispered. "I would help you, you know. I know we've only just barely started this together… whatever it is, but I think I might break any rule you needed me to… to help you."

Harry had squeezed her tighter. For a moment, she'd almost feared that he might break her ribs, when he suddenly let her go, his face back in front of her.

"Life on the run?" His eyes were intense. "I don't want something like that for you."

_Merlin, how do I explain it?_ Ginny took a deep breath. _I'll try the safe route._ "I owe you two favors, anything you want. I can't help how I feel… this just seems so right, you and me together."

Harry's eyes had shown confusion. _Am I telling him too much too soon? Please don't let him think this nothing more than a schoolgirl crush. _ She's almost considered pulling away, when his face lit up in a true smile. "Damnation to both of us then, Ginevra Weasley. I guess we might be damned together."

Her heart had started beating too fast, almost trying to explode out of her chest as Harry bent his head forward. She closed her eyes to meet his kiss halfway.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

_Well… that, as they say, is that_. Ginny frowned. Her Mum had finally written her back, responding to Ginny's request to see if Harry could be invited to the Burrow for Christmas. She hadn't really expected her mother to agree, but she'd held on to a sliver of hope that her family would surprise her and say it was okay… but the letter in her hand confirmed her fear. Harry Potter was going to spend the holiday alone at Hogwarts.

Ginny was suddenly glad she'd decided not to say anything about her idea to Harry. _I'll just make it up to him somehow…_

"It's been over a month, Ginny." Hermione threw her book down on the table, parchments scattering to the tower floor. "Christmas break is in two weeks. Can't you talk any sense into him?"

Ginny rolled her eyes as she lifted her head from her Mum's letter in her lap, her hand pushing the wisps of hair away from her face, trying to get them to stay behind her ear. S_he's going to burst if Harry doesn't say something soon._ Marking her place where she'd been reading, Ginny carefully placed the letter on the side of the chair.

"What are you prattling on about, 'Mione?"

"Harry hasn't explained anything about the sharing of… of your magics, I guess." Hermione fell back into the cushioned pillows along the couch. "When the two of you kiss."

Ginny knew that they were currently alone in the common area, but still couldn't help but to glance around guiltily to see if anyone else was around to possibly here what they were saying. She knew her face was warming at the thought of discussing her and Harry kissing.

"Hermione."

Her friend smiled, her eyes teasing. "Oh, Ginny… everybody knows that you and Harry are always off in the broom closets snogging." She was definitely blushing now. "I just want to know what's going on."

Ginny chose to remain quiet as Hermione continued. "Has anything else happened?"

Pursing her lips, Ginny considered her friend's question. "Sometime when Harry and I… well, when we…"

"Snog?" Hermione offered.

"Kiss. When we kiss." Ginny folded her arms in front of her. "Sometimes the magic fills me while we kiss, just like it did that first time."

"Sometimes?"

She nodded. "Mostly, though, its just us kissing." _Do I tell her what I suspect? What I think is going on?_

Hermione grinned. "Well, if the worst of it is just kissing…"

Ginny stuck her tongue out playfully. _I should tell her._ "But I think I've figured out what's going on…"

Her friend was suddenly leaning close, her eyes bright. "Really? What is it?"

She reached down and picked up her quill, playing with it, slowly pulling out the strands of the feather, breaking it apart absently. Hermione began tapping her foot impatiently, but Ginny wasn't trying to procrastinate, but rather to gather her thoughts.

"Do you remember Harry beating Professor Shacklebolt in Dark Arts?"

"Yes, but…"

"Wait." Ginny pushed off Hermione's attempt to ask a question. "Remember how everyone was talking about how he was only holding his own until he closed his eyes… how you told me he suddenly let loose?"

Hermione nodded silently.

"I think he got mad… or scared or something." Ginny took a breath. "He's hiding who he really is behind some inner wall… holding back who he can be and what he can do. Years from running and hiding, I guess. I think that he's never let himself truly let go."

Hermione's eyes were wide. "I don't think I understand what you're saying."

Ginny laughed softly. "I think it has something to do with legilimency." At her friend's gasp, she nodded. "I think he might somehow be doing it accidentally… his emotions cause the block he has to fall away."

"That might explain some of it, but I think there's more to it."

"There might be." Ginny agreed. "I know that sometimes when he thinks I'm not watching, he'll close his eyes. He seems to know where everything is… where people are, though not exactly who."

Hermione started sucking on her lower lip. "Maybe his sharing it with you is through some type of legilimency, but that wouldn't explain the rest of it."

"What else?"

"It could be that I'm an animagus." A voice called from behind them.

Ginny jerked to glance over at the window across the room. Harry was leaning on the sill, smiling. She immediately saw that his eyes were bright and playful at having caught them discussing him.

"Harry!" She jumped out of the chair and moved towards him.

"Where did you come from?" Hermione asked from behind her.

Ginny was about to throw in her own question about his sudden appearance, when she found herself caught up in a deep hug. She smiled as Harry quickly gave her a peck on the cheek, before letting her go and walking away from the window towards where she and Hermione had been sitting. She smiled as Harry kept a grip on her hand and pulled her along behind him.

"Hermione."

Her friend… _their friend_, she amended, smiled back and sat back down. "I didn't see or hear you come in… the door is on the other side of the room." Hermione pointed behind her. "How did you get at the window?"

She watched as raised his eyebrows. _Did… did he say animagus?_

"Harry." Ginny breathed. "You're an animagus?"

Hermione seemed ready to pounce, but he waved her question off as he sat next to Hermione on the couch, forcing Ginny to either sit on his lap or return to the chair. She chose the chair, but it was a tough decision. Once they were comfortable, Harry leaned over and picked up some of the parchments from the floor around the couch, his eyebrow quirked at Hermione.

"Harry?" Hermione asked.

He grinned as he handed the papers over to her. "Are these yours?"

Ginny watched Hermione grab the stack of papers from him, setting them on top of her textbook. "What do you mean about being an animagus?"

Harry leaned forward, gesturing for both of them to draw closer. "One of the things that Padfoot and Moony thought might be good for me was to try learning an animal form, something that might provide for an element of surprise if things ever went wrong."

Ginny knew her own eyes were wide. _He's an animagus!_

Harry looked at both of them. "Early on, Padfoot realized the same thing that you did, Gin." She lifted her eyebrows in surprise. "I end up doing magic when I get emotional… usually only when I'm upset."

Ginny looked at Hermione. The curly-haired girl sighed, before she looked at Harry. "What does that have to do with you being an animagus?"

Harry's eyes were red. Without thinking about what she was doing, Ginny stood up from where she was sitting and quickly moved over to Harry. Kneeling in front of him, she ran her hands across his legs, wanting to let him know that she was there. "Harry…"

She smiled as he pressed his fingers through her hair. "They were worried about my control… I was entering puberty… accidental magic was getting out of hand." She watched as he took a breath. "Padfoot felt that the concentration and focus necessary to learn how to transform might help me control myself."

Hermione was nodding. "I can see that…"

Harry shot her a rueful look and smirked at Ginny. "Besides, they thought having a cool animal form for me to play with would keep me entertained for hours."

Ginny smiled at the thought of a younger Harry practicing the ability to change into some type of animal. She looked at his eyes as he gazed down at her.

"Harry" Hermione broke the moment. "What type of animal do you turn into?"


	21. Holiday Wish

_DISCLAIMER: Do I even need to keep telling you this?_

_A/N: What was up with FFN? I've been trying to post for days now. Like I said before, chapters might be a bit slower now, as I'm caught up with my completed chapters. Outline goes to around 43 in all, so I guess we're right about at the halfway point._

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CHAPTER TWENTY – HOLIDAY WISH

"Go talk with her, Arthur." Molly's voice on the edge of tears, a state he most definitely did not want to be in. "It's been three days since she got home and she's barely come out of her room. Maybe we should've said it was okay…"

"Molly, we talked about this. Working for the Ministry, I couldn't have him here." He turned the page of the newspaper, not really reading any of it. "Anything that might give Fudge a leg to stand on will only make things more difficult later… Ginny being in all of the pictures with him hasn't helped."

"I know." He winced as her voice cracked. "But I can't take this. She's not talking to me."

"She will. She always does."

"Arthur." The Weasley patriarch looked up to see his wife of over half of his life wringing her hands in obvious frustration in worry.

Slowly getting up from his chair, tossing the remains of the Daily Prophet on the table next to the recliner, Arthur Weasley nodded in quiet response. He forced his politician smile into place… a necessity when working at the Ministry of Magic these days. "I'll just pop in and see if I can get her to come down and help you in the kitchen."

The relief on Molly's face was enough to send a wave of guilt through Arthur at having swayed her to not allow Harry Potter to come to the Burrow for the holiday break. _Damn, but these days everyone is second-guessing themselves… and I cannot believe that I left a boy, no matter who he is, alone._

Perhaps I can fix that.

Walking up the stairs, he ignored the sudden whoosh of air and lingering smell of nutmeg that suddenly seemed to permeate the air around him with the aromas of the season. _Fred and George, no doubt._ Up upon the higher floors of his family's home, he smiled as he could hear Ron begin yelling, the obvious target once again for his brothers' mischief.

Upon reaching the second floor, his eyes instinctively moved to the last door on the left, his daughter's room. The door was closed, as it had been for nearly the entire time that the miracle child of the Weasley Clan had been home from school. He couldn't help but let his eyes linger on the bareness of the door… the days of her sticking notes and pictures and signs of keeping her brothers out all gone, another reminder of her growing up.

_I knew there would come a day that a boy would realize her worth…_ Arthur sighed. _I just never imagined it would be Harry Potter. _He frowned at the thought. _Molly would be flabbergasted to know that had come to the crux of the entire situation on his own, not requiring her gentle nudge to explain things to him_.

Scratching at his cheek, he stood outside of her door, listening for any sign of life or movement inside the room. All seemed still. Raising his hand, he rapped his knuckles on the door. "Ginny?"

When there was not an immediate response, he knocked again. "Ginny? Are you okay?"

"Fine." Arthur had barely heard the response. It wasn't the usual yell of passion and energy that called through the door, but rather a soft, sad voice.

Opening the door, he walked in, although prepared to avert his eyes just in case she was not decent… but all was fine. He ignored the chaos of the room, a teenaged witch definitely resided within the small room. Clothes were everywhere, laundry not having been an immediate or top priority for her. In fact, Arthur had to carefully glance about in several directions before he felt there was a safe chance of moving into the room without stepping on something besides just the floor. But, in truth, all of that did not matter as his gaze found his intended target.

Ginevra Molly Weasley sat on the windowsill, dressed in little more than an old pair of blue jeans and her Bulgarian Veelas jersey he'd gotten for her as a souvenir last year at the World Cup. Her bare feet were tucked up under her leg, as her hands sat restfully in her lap… the quill and blank parchment in front of her seemingly forgotten in front of her.

It should have been cold, but Ginny had apparently cast a quick weather barrier to keep the winter winds out from her room and subsequently the rest of the house. Arthur smiled at the scene… she was beautiful, just like her mother at that age.

He made he was over to his daughter. If she realized he approached, she didn't seem to register any of it. Instead, Ginny continued to watch something… maybe nothing… outside of her window.

"I said I was find, Daddy." Arthur nearly jumped out of his skin at her words, her gaze never changing.

"I know, honey, but your mother is worried and you know what that means."

For a moment, her lips twitched. "Off you go to the rescue."

Looking around, he finally decided to pull the small desk chair from her vanity and, with a smile, tossed the clothes that had piled up over onto the bed. Once free, he carefully sat down, hoping tat the small seat would hold his weight. The chair creaked, but held firm as he returned his attention to the youngest of his seven children. _Figures that the one that should have been the easiest… the seventh… would be a girl. I'm too old for this…_

"Do you and Harry have a fight?"

That seemed to work. Ginny's face turned to meet his, her eyes wide. "Who… wait… a fight? Me and Harry?" She grinned. _Arthur was sad to admit, but the smile she suddenly had at just the thought of that boy worried him to no end. _ "No. I just hate him being all alone at school."

"Ginny," He smiled. "That school is rarely empty. We've left you there... not to mention all of your brothers at one time or another… for one Christmas or another. You know that other students not able to get home is just the way it happens."

His daughter was shaking her head. "Not this year, Dad. With everyone worried about You-Know-Who coming back and everybody thinking Remus is going to come get Harry… no one wanted to leave anyone behind. I think everyone but Harry is gone home."

Arthur felt like a cad as he watched the tears well up in his daughter's eyes, though she was quick to wipe them away. "Remus is gone. Sirius is locked up somewhere… Daddy, he's alone."

It was only his practice at schooling his face to reveal nothing and to remain quiet that prevented his daughter learning that she had shocked him beyond anything. His mind reeled. _First, she talks about Lupin and Black with… warmth in her voice!_ Arthur thought of the many discussions he and Molly had attended with Dumbledore, his desire to prove Harry's story true.

Shaking his head, he thought of Dumbledore and his daughter's attitude brought up his second worry. The Headmaster had said that Harry would have other students to associate with. If Ginny is sure that the school is empty… _was he mistaken or did he lie?_ Arthur tried not to contemplate which of those possibilities scared him more.

But it was the last realization that had him fumbling in the dark. _There was a… fierceness. Protectiveness, about Ginny when she spoke about Harry Potter._ Arthur watched as she continued to run the back of her hand across her eyes. _She reminds me of Molly._

Arthur ran his thoughts back. Finally, he tilted his head at his daughter and waited for her to compose herself. Once she had, he smiled as he patted her hand. "Albus said that a Katie something… Giles or Miles… I think that's it… Katie Miles would be at the school, at the very least."

"Kenya?" Ginny was now standing, her movements throwing her father back a little bit in her urgency. Pacing across her room, ignoring the clothes that were becoming more chaotic on the floor, she turned and faced him, her brown eyes bright. "Kenya is Tonks, Dad! Professor Dumbledore… _requested_… that I introduce her as a new student to Harry."

"What!" Arthur stood.

Ginny nodded. "Yeah. His company is an Auror in disguise, like that's really going to fool him. He saw through that almost right away. I'm just glad that he doesn't seem to blame me…"

He held up his hand to get her to stop, his mind trying to process way too many important facts and tidbits all at once. Looking around, he realized he was standing and sat back down. Blinking rapidly, he licked his lips before leaning forward, his elbows on his knees.

"Sit down." Ginny crossed her arms in obvious defiance. He simply watched her, until she finally wilted under his gaze and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Thank you. Now, I want to ask you some questions. Is that okay?"

Ginny nodded.

Sighing, Arthur bit the inside of his cheek, trying to figure out where to begin. "Are… are you saying that Professor Dumbledore asked you to help him put a spy on Harry?"

"Yes, sir."

_By Merlin's oak wand_… "And you _think_ Harry knows she's a spy?"

"No." Ginny flushed slightly. "I _know_ that he knows she's not a regular student… that she's a spy."

"Did you tell him?" At her shake of her head, Arthur leaned back. "Did he tell you that he knew?" Again, she responded negatively. "Then how do you know what he may or may not know?"

His daughter would no longer look at him. He watched as her ears flamed red…. _Never a good sign for a Weasley_… and her face darted everywhere around the room but back at him. Arthur waited patiently until she finally sighed. "I… I just do, Dad. Please don't ask me more…"

"Ginny…"

"Please, Daddy." _She's doing the puppy dog eyes look again._ "It's a secret… not a bad secret… but he trusted me, and I can't break it. I won't."

He nodded, albeit reluctantly. "Okay, sweetheart. But you have to promise me that if something bad is happening or about to happen, you'll tell me. Agreed?"

He smiled as her face flooded with relief. "Thank you."

Arthur nodded. "Well… I can't change what we've already done, but I can try to fix a wrong when I see it." He stood up; suddenly glad to be away from that chair. "Perhaps I can see if Harry will want to finish the holidays here at the Burrows when I see him tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" Ginny was suddenly alive in every sense of the word. "Are you going to Hogwarts to get him? Can I come? Does the Headmaster know? Where di…"

"Enough, sweetheart, enough." He laughed at her flood of questions. "Hold on, hold on." Once she'd quieted back down, though she nearly quivered, he accepted her hug. "It was planned weeks ago to allow Harry to see his godfather for an hour for Christmas."

"You know where Sirius is?"

Arthur wanted to backpedal. The calmness of her question scared him. "N-no, honey. I'm to meet with some Aurors set up by Moody and Davis first thing tomorrow. From there, we'll escort and allow Harry some time with Black."

His daughter nodded, though her eyes held something more. A secret that he would have dearly paid for at that moment to know. "Can I come with you?"

As he started to protest, she suddenly spoke over him. "He trusts me. Knows me. If I tell him about the Burrows, then he's more likely to accept. Besides…" _Her ears are turning red again_. "The idea might come as a bit of a shock."

"Shock?" Arthur was puzzled. "I thought you asked him…" Comprehension suddenly went off. "You didn't say anything until you got the missive from your mother."

As Ginny nodded, he sighed in defeat. "Okay."

Ginny was suddenly squealing in obvious joy, her arms around his neck as she kissed his cheek and kept offering _thank you's_ for doing this. Smiling at the rush of happy emotion literally radiating off of her, he had to eventually pull her arms from around his neck and looked at her, his eyes serious.

"Now, this will be dependant upon several things happening and being understood." Ginny's face was solemn as she listened, though the dancing of her eyes betrayed her. "First, your mother has to agree. Second, I'll have to get approval from Dumbledore and let the Ministry know…"

He held his finger up to Ginny's lips to keep her from retorting. "We will have to have the Aurors here." Ginny nodded. _Now, let's see how she takes the last one_. "And third… he will have to leave his wand with the Ministry and will have to wear a suppression collar for his time here."

"What!" Ginny's voice was harsh. "Those things are inhumane! I… I can't believe… do you honestly think… why would you…?"

Arthur shrugged, hating how cold he must seem. "Outside of the Ministry and Hogwarts, Umbridge has a temporary order demanding the Harry wear the collar to insure that he does no harm to others or to himself while under the Ministry's protection."

"But, Daddy…"

He shook his head. "He'll have to agree to that, or having the first two will mean nothing." He smiled sadly at his daughter. "Do you think Harry would be willing to wear something like that to come here for Christmas?"

He watched as emotions fought viciously inside of his daughter. Finally, she looked up… her face still happy, thought the elation of a few moments ago was gone. "I can ask."

Arthur nodded his head. "Good. Now, why don't we go downstairs and prove to your mother what a responsible young lady you are to have a boyfriend visit over the holidays…"

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

_Well, isn't this just the picture of warmth for the holidays_, Arthur asked himself sarcastically.

At exactly seven thirty in the morning on Christmas Eve day, he and Ginny had flooed directly to his office at the Ministry. From there, both were escorted by Aurors to one of the filing rooms, where all four of them immediately were told to grab a portkey that brought them to this undisclosed location. They'd been left to sit on a bench in a hallway, the walls and floor bare and only two doors exiting the room. Their escorts had nodded, asking them to have a seat, and had then vanished through the door to the left.

Arthur had seen the unvoiced questions in Ginny's eyes, but had shaken his head, indicating for her to not speak. It had been difficult enough to get her here, but he had eventually won out. Molly had been an easy victory in his plan. She'd been for bring Harry to the Burrows from the moment she had seen Ginny's request, but had only caved under his own reservations. He's had to ignore the look of being right in his wife's gaze that he'd folded so easy under their daughter's pleas.

Dumbledore had been a little more tricky, the Headmaster of Hogwarts adamant in his belief that keeping Harry close under his watchful care the only correct decision. Arthur had been embarrassed at the lengths he had gone to in order to procure Harry's… bail, _time off for good behavior_, as Ginny had referred to it. It had finally taken Arthur and Molly's threats of openly challenging Albus' decision in front of the Order of the Phoenix that had finally swayed the old man. _There will be hell to pay for that._

Arthur smiled at how Fudge and his cronies had taken to the news. Delores Umbridge had been up in arms about how they were trying to make a political play for more influence, but Amelia Bones had actually won the day, her argument for treating Harry like a special case student rather than a prisoner of war giving Fudge a much needed boost in the polls when word leaked that Harry Potter... The-Boy-Who-Had-Returned… was being well cared for, even with the location remaining a secret.

Which now brought Arthur back to he and his only daughter awaiting Harry Potter to appear. In the moments before the young man that had so obviously caught Ginny's attention arrived, Arthur took some time to careful examine the redheaded child sitting next to him.

That she was nervous was plain to see. Her fingers constantly moved, smoothing back her hair, which was uncharacteristically out of the usual ponytail and carefully styled. He clothes, while modest, were very flattering… even a father could see that. Light colored slacks and a top that she'd gotten from her mother on her last birthday. She wore very little jewelry… a bracelet that had belonged Molly's mother as well as a simple gold chain and Egyptian charm around her neck… a gift from Charlie several Christmases ago.

"Are you wearing makeup?" He teased suddenly, at the light hues of blush and lip-gloss that could be discerned. A smile came unbidden to his lips as Ginny shot him a glare so like her mother, her hands smoothing the wrinkles that had formed on her pants while they waited.

He considered apologizing, but the moment was gone as four Aurors suddenly walked into the cold, empty room, entering from the door that they'd stepped into upon arriving. Arthur stood along with his daughter and watched as thee mean and one woman guardians suddenly drew their wands and aimed them at each other in a circle.

There was a blur in the air in the middle of the Aurors, as suddenly Professor McGonagall and Harry Potter stood there. Both seemed nonplussed at seeing guards awaiting them. Arthur wanted to applaud as Harry only gave a cursory glance at the four Aurors before his eyes lit up upon resting on his daughter.

"Ginny." Harry stepped forward; completely ignoring the two men he had to brush past to move closer. Arthur watched as three of the Aurors turned to keep Harry Potter in sight at all times, while the fourth spoke briefly at the Deputy Headmistress.

He watched as Ginny suddenly lit up as the two drew closer. They immediately embraced, though Harry's eyes opened after a quick moment to look up at him. In his gaze was a definite question, but Arthur was content to allow his daughter the chance to explain.

"Harry." Ginny pulled back, though her hands stayed on his shoulders. "We got permission to bring you back to my house for the rest of Christmas. Isn't that great?"

Arthur couldn't help but smile at the change in Harry's expression from curiosity to surprise and obvious pleasure at her announcement. He turned away from Ginny, though his hand automatically moved to interlace with the redheaded girl's own, as Harry looked back at Minerva.

The elderly witch, one of the teacher's Arthur himself remembered fondly from his own days at Hogwarts, nodded and briefly smiled at the boy. "Yes, Mr. Potter. We took the liberty of sending some of your clothes and... other things to the Weasley household."

"Really?" Harry seemed… giddy. "That's fabulous! That's great."

As Arthur stepped forward to introduce himself, he was taken aback at how Harry immediately turned and held out his right hand. "Thank you, sir. I will not betray the trust you have offered to me. Thank you so much, sir."

Ginny was beaming next to him. Arthur was stunned. _This boy was so… polite. He's calm and confident. Where is the scared little boy that is such a danger Albus keeps talking about?_ Arthur met Harry's hand in a firm handshake. "Think nothing of it, my boy. Nothing of it. And I'm sure you will do just fine."

"There are conditions, Mr. Potter." A gravelly voice suddenly broke into the moment. Arthur turned to look at Delores Umbridge walking into the room from the other door. "Conditions for your… stay at the Weasley's."

Harry had released his grip and had turned to stare off against the frog-faced toad of a woman. "I assumed as much." Arthur almost smirked at the boy's tone.

"First, you will relinquish your wand to the Ministry immediately until you return to the school."

"If I may," Minerva's voice called from the other side of the room. "Mr. Potter's wand currently sits on the Headmaster's desk. It was felt to be… best for all involved that he not bring it here today."

Arthur watched, as Delores looked ready to choke. "Fine." Turning back to Harry, her eyes gleamed. "Second, you will wear a suppression collar at all times."

She paused, possibly in hoping to hear an outburst. Harry only nodded, though Arthur watched Ginny rubbing his back soothingly. "I figure as much. Agreed. Next?"

"And finally, you will wear a magical tracer at all times that will allow for the Ministry to track your movements at all times."

Harry started to respond, but Arthur stepped in. "That will not be a problem as I have taken the liberty of accepting guardianship of that responsibility." He smiled as the iron-haired _battleaxe_ started gaping like a fish. "As he will be in my home and we will have Aurors around the perimeter, we'll be fine."

"But... but…"

"Thank you, Miss Umbridge." Arthur dismissed her with a wave of his hand and looked to find his daughter staring at him in shock. He grinned. "Now, let's get your young Mr. Potter to see Sirius Black so we can get out of here and have lunch… which, as we are having a guest, will mean that your mother has loaded the table high enough to break in from the weight."

Ginny blushed when he referred to Harry as _hers_. Arthur kept grinning, looking over to his former Transfiguration Professor. He shared a look with her before she smiled and "popped" out of the room.

"This way, please." An Auror opened a door.

"Harry." Arthur watched as Ginny caught his arm, preventing him from following through the door. At Harry's look, Ginny blushed again, though she held on to his arm. "I know that you didn't really have anything to give, and I'm not sure that they'll let him keep it… but I thought you might like to show him this."

Arthur's eyes widened as his daughter pulled a photograph from her back pocket. From what little he could see, it was fairly well bent and worn, but the picture was as clear as anything. In it, Harry and Ginny were sitting at a table… _the library, maybe_… surrounded by several other students. Arthur tried to think of them all: Hermione, Neville Longbottom… Cedric Diggory, as well as a blonde girl and an Oriental girl, both very pretty. All seven kids were waving and laughing.

"I thought Sirius would want to see that you're okay."

Arthur had never been more proud of his daughter in that moment than any other he could ever recall. He couldn't help but witness to Harry's eyes brightening suddenly, tears clearly forming as he carefully took the picture that Ginny offered to him… a prize without peer. For a moment, it looked like he might once again hug the girl before him, but his eyes moved over to Arthur, and then his face turned red.

_Ah! Right. Of course_. "Ahem. Sorry." Arthur politely turned his back for a moment, carefully trying not to hear the two of them hug… _and I definitely did not need to hear what most definitely sounded like a kiss!_

"Thank you." The words were barely above a whisper.

Turning back, Arthur watched as Harry quietly strode through the door that the Auror had held open for him. Just as the door closed behind him, Harry turned and waved at Ginny.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Ginny was up the moment the door made a sound. _Even the Aurors were slower than she was_… Arthur grinned as Harry Potter barely had time to come out of the door before Ginny was in front of him, her questions rolling over one another. _Ah, young love!_

Finally standing, Arthur walked over and patted the young man on the back. "Are we all set?"

"Yes, sir." Harry pulled at the shirt he was wearing. Arthur peered down to see that a suppression collar had been firmly secured around his neck, preventing him from doing any magic. He ignored his daughter's blanched look and narrowed eyes at seeing the offending piece of magical restraint.

"What do we do?" Ginny asked as she reached out and held Harry's hand in her own.

Arthur reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of pipe. Holding out to each of them, he shrugged. "We got permission to portkey directly home. Less chance of…" His eyes flickered to wards Harry.

Harry, for his part, took it all in stride. "Less chance of me knocking you unconscious, kidnapping your daughter, and escaping to wreck havoc upon the good people of England."

Arthur laughed. "Exactly, my boy. Right in one." He held the metal pipe to the two children. "Now, just grab hold of this and… away we go."


	22. Differences of Opinion

_DISCLAIMER: This is owned, operated, controlled and ultimately directed by J.K. Rowling._

_A/N: Just a quick interlude. Short chapter, but I wanted this in there now and didn't want another split up perspective chapter until later. Yes, there is a method to my madness. Keep reviewing._

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INTERLUDE –DIFFERENCES IN OPINION

Albus Dumbledore sighed in frustration, the letter in his hand all but forgotten. Ignoring the soft, melodious song that Fawkes was trilling behind him, he stared about the room and tried to come to terms with the fact that he was, at this very moment, an absolute failure. He couldn't help but acknowledge it to be true. The prophecy would just not go away, and all of his attempts at manipulating events for the greatest chance of success were slipping through his grasp like rain from the sky.

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... _

_Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... _

_The Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... _

_And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survive..._

_The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... _

Destiny had decided the Harry James Potter, the only son of James Charlus Potter and Lily Abigail Evans would take up the mantle of protector and guardian of the Light… the only hope for salvation for the entirety of the wizarding community, if not the whole world.

He dropped the parchment onto the desk among the rest of the clutter and picked up a piece of candy. Shaking his head, he threw the uneaten Lemon Drop back into the bowl at the edge of his desk, the current Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot put his head in his hands and closed his eyes, suddenly feeling the entire weight of his one hundred and fifty-four year life.

_What happened? How did events spiral so far out of control?_ He berated himself for not the first time since he'd allowed Minerva to take Harry to meet with his godfather, Sirius Black. _I must do the unthinkable… again._

The old wizard stared up at the various portraits that hung along the wall, all showing the previous Headmasters of the school since Hogwarts' founding. Inevitably, his gaze was drawn to the shadowed corner at the back of his office at the four silent frames that sat there.

Dumbledore could still picture the roughly written letter that he'd found from Armando Dippet, his immediate predecessor as Headmaster of the school, that told of the Four Founders' empty portrait frames… having vanished some time in the late seventeen hundreds. _I wonder where they have gone? I could definitely use their help and guidance now._

He considered leaving, perhaps to walk the halls of the empty school, every student (_Harry Potter now included_) had left for the holidays. Dumbledore considered the calming effect that the school's very walls often inspired in him. He stood, ignoring the aches that seemed to accompany his movements in recent days, as there was a quick rap on the outer door of his office.

"Enter, please, Minerva."

The door opened and he watched his second command of the school and the Order quietly entered, carefully shutting the door behind her. She moved silently over to her usual chair, her posture relaxed. He realized that his eyebrows were high on his forehead at seeing a slight upturn of her lips.

"Something amusing?"

The Deputy Headmistress nodded. "Harry Potter, by now, should be speaking with Sirius Black and then on his way to Arthur and Molly's house." She let her face break out in actual smile. "I think you made a very wise decision, Albus, allowing for Mr. Potter to go outside of the school. The solitude would not have been good on him in the long term."

He sat back in his chair, his gaze drifting to the letter he'd just finished reading. "Truthfully, Minerva, I had nothing to do with it."

"What?"

Albus nodded. "In fact, I was against the idea and remain against it, but both Molly and Arthur paid me a visit last evening, quite late, and demanded that young Harry be allowed to spend the time off from classes with them."

The Transfiguration Professor quirked her eyebrow at him. "I don't understand…"

"Things are beginning to move again, Minerva." He slammed his fist on the table, the woman across from him jumping at his sudden action. "Not since the days before Voldemort fell has there been so much activity."

He picked up one of the papers lying on his desk, though his gaze never left hers. "The Ministry has informed me that Lucius Malfoy escaped from Azkaban."

Minerva's hands flew to her face. She started to speak, but he overrode anything she might have had to say and picked up another letter. "This one tells me that the Dementors are acting strange. I have counseled to get rid of those loathsome dark creatures, but my advice has been dismissed."

"Ablus…"

"This." His finger landed directly on the parchment that worried him the most. "Is a formal declaration from the Goblinac Chieftain formally acknowledging that Harry Potter is recognized as the Child of Light of their prophecies."

"The… the Goblins…?" She seemed shaken.

Albus Dumbledore knew his gaze was hard. "Oh, yes… and as such, they have decided to petition the Ministry for having Harry Potter turned over to them to… insure, shall we say, that he is properly trained and prepared for the coming war."

The woman leaned forward, her hands on his desk. "But... but… can they do that? Can they take Harry from us? He's a wizard! He is a part of our own prophecies."

"Can they do it?" He wanted to roar. "That isn't the question. They _are_ doing it. What we have to concern ourselves with is how the Ministry will respond."

"He could refuse…"

Albus looked at her incredulously. "Refuse? Why ever for? He could escape this prison for something else."

"We'll fight it, of course."

"Of course." His voice dropped low. "But their petition references the Wizard/Goblin Treaty of 1685, which clearly states that the wizarding world will not interfere with any internal Goblinac machinations."

"But… Harry is a wizard." She lamely repeated.

He knew the smile on his face was dark. "That is the only leg we have to stand on. If Harry chooses to go with the Goblins, or if, Merlin forbid, we are unable to prevent their interpretation of the Treaty's guidelines, then we will have lost him again."

"Can't we just tell them no?"

"Think, Minerva. To break even one line of that Treaty will mark the entire thing null and void. We could be looking at another Goblin Uprising… in our lifetime. We would be forced to fight on separate fronts… not only facing the darkest of wizards in known history, but a war that the last time occurred cost the lives of nearly half of the adult wizards and witches in Western Europe."

"What are we going to do, then?"

He shrugged as he picked up the lemon drop he'd tossed aside earlier. Popping it into his mouth, he took a moment to savor the tart sweetness before answering. "I had… hoped. Yes, hoped. I had hoped that I could attempt to mend bridges between Harry and I over the holiday. Seek him out."

She looked at him. "That might be for the best…"

Albus interrupted her. "It will not work. But for the occasional push, I fear we will never have any type a rapport with Harry, and that, I fear will be the prophecy's undoing."

"Well, you cannot force him to open up…" Her gaze was like a hawk. "Are you forcing your way into his mind?"

She seemed to calm down for a moment as he waved his hand. "He seems to have a natural defense against such… I have not encountered its like before, so I am unsure as to what it could be…"

"What are you thinking then?"

He took a deep breath. Here is where she loses it. "I had considered creating a Soul Bond into Harry."

"Albus!" Her eyes were wide. "You would do such again? As you did before?"

Stroking his beard, he shrugged quietly, ignoring her rising anger. "In truth, I had considered as I did in my dealings against Grendelwald… the benefits I received…"

She cut him off. "But… but… isn't he, well, seeing Miss Weasley?"

"A trifle. It is but a young love… a sacrifice for the greater good." He removed his glasses from his nose and began wiping them clean. "His powers and control would raise exponentially. And the link would give us a sure way into… guiding him."

"But… without his consent, could this work? Bonds like what you are attempting… the dangers involved. We do not use such Bonds any longer even between two that are in love, the dangers are too great, much less what you are daring to even contemplate. At the very least, madness follows when one of the Bonded pair dies."

"But this would be of our choosing, Minerva… the Soul Bond in such a manner… he'd have to come to me. To the Order. We could help direct as the prophecies dictated." He put his glasses back on. "And besides, I had hoped to possibly give him his heart's desire… to compensate for what we would take from him."

His oldest friend's brow furrowed in thought. Suddenly, her eyes opened wide. "You were going to use the Mirror again, weren't you? Try to peer into his innermost desires and manipulate him that way."

Opening his mouth to deny her accusations, he was brought up short when she stood up from her chair and leaned down on the desk, forcing him further back in his chair. "I have followed you into hell, Albus. Without question and without regard for consequences, I have backed every play you've ever had… knowing that you were a force of… of… goodness in the world.

"I held your broken body after your defeat of Grindelwald, making sure that you were taken to safety and given time to heal." She held her hand up to cut off his response. "I have backed every play you have initiated. When the Order balked, I calmly made sure that you were followed. When Harry Potter was lost to us, I helped you keep sanity in the ranks. I have done all of this for you… even after the Soul Bond you took… what you did…"

Frowning, the elderly woman stood straight up, every inch the powerful witch that others considered her. "You talk of gaining trust, but you talk of manipulations and trickery. You talked to me of love and helping Harry discover it here at Hogwarts. This is not some eleven-year-old new student to fall all over your every word. This is the hope for all of us."

"Minerva…"

"No, Albus. No." Her voice was like a crack of thunder. "I will not accept this. You cannot treat the students under my guardianship in such a manner. I. Will. Not. Allow. It."

"Such a Bond…"

"No!" Her gaze held him in place. "You chose to Soul Bind to the phoenix that answered your call, opening yourself up to what you claim is a love for all that is good and light in the world… but that was your choice, Albus. My words and feelings had nothing to do with it… but it was your choice. You cannot… will not… make the same choice for Harry Potter."

"Minerva…"

"I. Will. Fight. You."

Fawkes had gone silent. He held her gaze but knew that she would not be swayed. _Not right now._ Quietly, he nodded. Minerva McGonagall nodded curtly and sniffed.

"Fine. What do you suggest?" He asked.

For a moment, her eyes closed as if lost in thought. He watched as she seemed to slump deeper into her chair across from him. Finally, she sat back up. "We must free Sirius Black."

"What?"

"You heard me. Free Sirius Black." Her words were sharp. "He and Remus Lupin have cared for Harry, protected him and trained him for his entire life. The Goblins couldn't take him if he was cared for like that."

Dumbledore wanted to sputter at the audacity of her idea. "Minerva. It will not work. Fudge and his political agenda would never allow it."

"Then we must remove him… do whatever it takes to make sure that Harry Potter is protected."

He shook his head. "You talk of nothing less than mutiny. Treason. At the very least, Hogwarts would be taken away from us. Someone else put in charge here…"

Her eyes were like living flame. "So what! If Harry Potter is not at the appointed place and time and ready to take on Voldemort, then what does out standing in the world have to do with anything?"

"Minerva…"

"Better to win as a traitor than to be a noble dead."

He stood then, his body full of nervous energy that had to be expelled somehow before he caused the very foundation of the school to shake and tumble around them. He paced the room, his eyes falling once again to the empty frames hidden in the shadows.

"You realize that Black and Lupin may have been right? They could go down in history as the saviors of Harry Potter and, ultimately, the wizarding world as a whole, all because they kept their young charge out of our hands."

Albus stared out the window. Finally, he turned and looked at the woman he had loved so long ago… _a love lost through his own actions_. "I don't think I can do this…"

Minerva McGonagall stood, her lips pale. "Then consider me out of the Order, Albus. Consider me a traitor. Relieve me of my post, if you feel so inclined."

"No. I will not allow…"

She barked a hard laugh. "Allow? No. You will do what you must, but I choose to side my hopes and dreams on Harry Potter, Albus. Not you any longer."

He sought to find some word… something to salvage the situation. He opened his mouth, but the opportunity was lost as the formidable witch turned and left his office, the door slamming shut behind her passing.


	23. Christmas at the Burrow

_A/N: Sorry I haven't posted lately. I read another fan fiction and realized that it too closely resembled some of the things I had planned, so it became necessary to scrap some of what I had and redo some of the chapters I had already written. Price I pay for reading all of the great work already out there._

_DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Sue if you want, but I have nothing._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE – CHRISTMAS AT THE BURROW

Harry carefully held the picture that Ginny had handed to him as he followed the Auror down the long hallway. Doors were evenly spaced on each wall, four on each side, and another Auror waited at the doorway at the end of the hall. His footsteps, as well as the man in front of him, echoed down the white corridor, the sound carrying on and on rather than fading away. Like a convict walking to the chair, he thought grimly.

"Mr. Potter."

Harry looked up to find they were at the end, both Aurors now watching him carefully. He carefully avoided looking at the object the second Ministry worker held tightly in his hands, instead choosing to look directly into the man's eyes. "Yes?"

"You will need to allow us to put the suppression collar on you before you can see the prisoner." The Auror standing behind him didn't speak.

He tried not to flinch at his calling Padfoot a prisoner. Steeling his features, he nodded once and silently waited for the man to snap the offending device around his neck.

Just as it had been the first time, Harry felt his stomach drop. There were very few things that Harry could come up with to equate to his magic vanishing… the feeling of loss that caused his hands to shake and his breath catch in his throat. How do Muggles live like this?

Once the band was safely secure, the Auror pulled his hands back and held out his wand, running it in front of Harry… checking to see if all things were okay. Harry wanted to smirk as, just like the first time, the man confirming the collar was in proper working order, suddenly looked up and at his companion, worry in his eyes.

"Davis… I'm still getting a reading." Harry tried to ignore the tremble in the man's voice. "It's not much, but it's… it's there."

"What?"

Harry sighed. "If you will check, this occurred last time. Aurors Shacklebolt and Bones felt I was safe enough to travel then."

The Auror, his muted brown eyes were wide. Harry waited patiently as the man seemed to silently converse with the man standing behind Harry. An understanding must have finally been reached, as the man before him ran a nervous hand through his blonde hair and nodded. "Fine. Go ahead."

He started to make his way to the door, reaching out for the knob that would take him to Padfoot, when a hand lightly touched his shoulder. "No funny business, okay? Lets keep this calm and without incident. We will come get you when your time is up."

Without turning, Harry nodded and waited for the hand to stop touching him. Once free, he quickly reached his hand out to open the door. As his fingers grasped the brass doorknob, he suddenly felt the quick pulling sensation of a portkey… and, rather than opening a door as he had intended, he found himself suddenly standing in front of a very white wall.

"Harry!"

_It's Padfoot!_ Harry turned around and was able to catch only a flash of color and movement before he found himself in a tight embrace, the arms of his uncle surrounding him. He knew that he should follow the protocol that they'd set up in case something had ever happened, to make sure that each of them were exactly who they claimed to be, but he hugged like Padfoot and smelled like Padfoot. _Please, Merlin, let this be Sirius…_

Eventually, they parted. Harry tried not to stare, but his godfather looked horrible. Captivity was never something that he felt anyone should endure, but Sirius looked seriously bad.

"Padfo.."

Sirius motioned with his hand to remain quiet. Harry watched as tears fell down the older man's face, his dark eyes almost drinking in the sight of knowing that he was alive and all right. Harry waited patiently, knowing what Padfoot was doing, allowing the man who had raised him to consider their next move.

"If I said once per month…"

Harry smiled. "I'd say three had to be two."

He watched as Sirius smiled, a true smile this time. The man in front of him opened his mouth, but Harry shook his head, choosing to speak first. "And if I said we fight with eyes closed?"

Sirius closed his eyes and inhaled deeply through his nose. "I'd say not with you."

Harry felt all of the tension suddenly leave his body as he suddenly sat down, his legs no longer strong enough to hold him upright. _It was Sirius_. There wasn't really any danger of hurting himself, especially considering that Sirius moved like lightning, his arms quickly catching Harry and settling them both to the ground, safe.

"Brightwing… are you okay?"

Harry smirked, his vision suddenly cloudy from the tears that threatened to fall. "I've been so worried…"

The dark haired man nodded. "Me, too. I have been going crazy… wondering about you and Remus and whatever else is going on."

Harry sighed. "I don't know where he is." He snorted. "Hell, I don't even know where we are."

Sirius shrugged. "He might have gotten away."

He just looked a this godfather. Sirus eventually smiled as he realized how inane the statement was. _Moony okay on his own? Not bloody likely. He was probably stuck somewhere trying to figure out where his clothes were, rather than masterminding a scheme to rescue anyone._

"He's lost." Sirius muttered.

Harry fought the smile he knew was coming at the old joke. "Padfoot…"

Sirius gave him a look worthy of the Queen of England. "He was my friend first. I can make fun of him if I want…"

He couldn't help it. Sirius just looked so… so… serious. He laughed softly as he wiped the tears from his face. "So many months, now…"

His godfather looked at him. "How long?"

Quietly counting, Harry considered. "It's Christmas tomorrow, so…."

"Christmas?" Sirius asked in surprise. "Already?"

"Yeah. Why?"

Harry watched as he shook his head. "I'd thought we weren't much past October, at the latest."

Shaking his head, Harry grinned cheekily. "You never were good with human years, you dog."

His heart soared to see a genuine smile fill the man's face, making him seem so much younger than his forty-five or so years of age.

_(A/N: Based on the idea that Snape was in class with the Mauraders, and considering the age that JKR implies that Snape is from the books, not counting Alan Rickman and Gary Oldman from the movies, I cannot see James and Lily having Harry immediately out of school like so many fan fiction authors put forth. I think they had to be in their late twenties or even early thirties before Lily got pregnant…. Hence, an older Sirius Black.)_

"Too, true, you scamp. But mind your elders."

Harry smiled. "You want me to start now?"

"Bah." Sirius hugged Harry to him tightly. "Just be safe and you can mouth off to anyone you want."

He patted the older man's back. "Okay…"

They finally pulled apart, neither caring that the other was crying, as they looked at each other. Sirius kept shaking his head as he looked Harry over. "Nice clothes."

Harry sighed. "The professors got them for me."

"Professors?"

"I'm at Hogwarts."

Sirius' eyes widened dramatically. "Y-you're what?"

"I'm a fifth year at Hogwarts."

"But… wait… no… why did…" Harry waited while Sirius worked it out in his head. Finally, he looked straight at him. "Dumbeldore."

Harry nodded. "I agreed to go and play nice with the other children… and they promised to keep you out of Azkaban."

Sirius shuddered visibly. "Lad, you know…"

He cut his godfather off. "It's not a problem. I'd do anything for you and Moony… and its not so bad, once you consider I am trapped in a school with a senile headmaster that thinks trying to read my thoughts is acceptable and that pushing me towards… well… towards something is the way to get me to trust him."

"He's reading…?"

"No." Harry replied. "Moony was right. If I concentrate on the… well…" Harry looked around the room suspiciously. "When I… hum, I can block it."

"It worked?"

Harry grinned. "You should have seen the look on his wrinkly face."

Sirius laughed out loud, his head thrown back in mirth. Eventually, he quieted, his eyes serious once again. "You have to be careful."

"I know, Paddy."

_Sirius didn't rise to the bait._ "Harry, listen to me. Dumbledore is crafty. If he thinks you are in the way of the greater good, you can be swept aside."

He shrugged at his guardian's warning. "I know, but until Moony shows up or makes his presence known… I can only wait."

"No word then?"

Harry shook his head. "Not a peep."

He sighed. "Definitely lost."

Harry nodded. "Probably in a pub…"

"What do they have you learning then? At Hogwarts, I mean."

His fingers brushing along the picture, Harry pulled it out and handed it to Sirius. His godfather quirked an eyebrow in silent inquiry. Harry smiled.

"Things aren't so bad… I'm holding my own."

He watched as his godfather looked down at the photograph. The older man inhaled deeply and continued to study the people waving and smiling. "What…?"

Harry leaned over and started explaining the picture. "I met all of them on the Express. That's Neville Longbottom… Cedric Diggory… Luna Lovegood… Cho Chang… Hermione Granger… and this one is Ginny. Ginny Weasley."

"Longbottom's there?"

Harry nodded. "The son of the ones you told me about."

"Diggory?"

"Yeah. His father is Amos Diggory."

Sirius shook his head in obvious disbelief. "This doesn't make any sense. You're hanging out with the children of the Ministry… not to mention the daughter of The Quibbler's editor. What is going on?"

"I'm sure that I have absolutely no idea," Harry sighed. "But the contingency plan you guys set up is in place."

"Really"

Harry nodded. "I think it could work…"

Sirius rocked back, his eyes suddenly intense. "Do you need to go ahead with it?"

Harry shrugged. "I have no idea…" He looked up sharply. "Do you think they know? That they're setting me up?"

Sirius looked up at Harry, his eyes sparkling. "Maybe…" He looked back at the photograph in his hand. "Lots of cute girls in this picture… Enough to turn any man's head."

"Padfoot…" He knew his face was flushed.

"Oh, ho…" He laughed. "Right in one, eh?" He studied the picture carefully, pulling it away when Harry reached for it. "Now, who would the son of James and Lily…"

"What?" Harry was suddenly worried. As the man had stopped his teasing. "Sirius? What?

Sirius whispered. "Lily?"

"Mum?" Harry was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"This Weasley girl… she so much looks like your mother… she could be her sister."

"What?"

Sirius Black looked up at Harry. "Definitely the redhead."

Harry shook his head. "No, wait. What about mum?"

Sirius shrugged nonchalantly. "You look so much like James… but for the eyes… and Ginny looks a lot like Lily…" He held the picture up. "This could have been taken years ago, James and Lily… the rest of the Marauders all around."

"That reminds me…" Harry laughed. "Nice map you guys made."

The look of shock on Sirius' face was priceless. "The map. THE map. You have it?"

Harry laughed again. "No… Ginny's brothers do… Fred and George. Let me tell you…"

They spent the rest of the time laughing and talking, only rarely dropping into any more serious talk. Both seemed to come to a unspoken agreement that they would have to individually take care of their own situations until the third member of their troupe finally made his appearance… neither aware that the other desperately hoped that he would rescue the other first… both knowing that to save one would most likely doom the other. Harry beamed under the trust and confidence that his godfather offered by allowing Harry to deal with his own situation.

Before they knew it, an Auror (a different one than before) appeared and escorted Harry away from the enclosed white room that Sirius was currently trapped within… nothing to spare him from the insanity of six blank squares that made up his prison… nothing but the magical photograph that he had been allowed to keep… proof that Harry Potter was alive and well.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"We're home." Arthur called out suddenly.

Harry opened his eyes, his hand immediately reaching out for something to steady himself with, the sensation of his navel being sucked inward upon itself only now beginning to fade away. A small hand met his, tightening the grip he had, as he tried to take in everything he was now seeing around him.

Standing up straight, he relaxed his fingers in order to offer Ginny a chance to let go, but the small redhead only held on tighter. Turning, he saw her give him an embarrassed smile as her eyes sparkled at him. He tightened his grip on hers and turned to look around the room.

To say that the Burrow was everything that Padfoot and Moony had told him a magical household could be would have been the grossest of understatements. Harry took in the haphazard walls, all holding various portraits and pictures, movement everywhere. Knickknacks and other memorabilia sat upon shelves of every description… both the items and the shelves. A doorway to his right led into a kitchen, and even from such a distance as being outside of the room, he could see various utensils moving of their own accord.

A woman, obviously Ginny's mother, was suddenly in the doorway, a smile upon her face as she took the three of them in. "Well, I was beginning to wonder. Lunch is ready if you are."

Arthur Weasley moved away from them and quickly kissed his wife on the cheek. "We're home, dear. All's well."

"Of course, of course." She blushed prettily at the kiss… her eyes moving over to where he and Ginny were still standing. Harry could almost feel her eyes taking in the fact that they were still holding hands.

"Well, come in, come in." She wiped her hands on the apron she was wearing as she moved closer. "Ginny, dear… I need your help setting the table."

"Mum." She protested.

Harry smiled in spite of himself as her mother clucked. "Now, Ginny. You'll have plenty of time to spend with your guest, but I need your help."

Ginny's ears began to redden as she shot a look at him. "Where is Ron? Or Fred and George?"

Harry noticed that her father was leaning against the doorway into the other room, his coat and hat swaying slightly from being hung on the banister of the stairs leading to the upper levels of their home. The Weasley patriarch smiled ruefully at his daughter.

"The boys are in the garden finishing up the rest of their punishments. They will clean the table after lunch, but you can't get out of your chores just because we have a guest."

Ginny looked ready to argue, but Harry stepped forward, a smile on his face. "Mrs. Weasley. Thank you so much for your wonderful invitation. Might I assist in setting the table? Please, let me help in any way that I can."

He watched as Mrs. Weasley looked at him in surprise, possibly that he'd actually offered to help. He started to mention that Padfoot and Moony had made sure that he earned his own keep, but wasn't sure how well something like that would go over. Instead, he smiled at Ginny and tried to steer the conversation in a more positive light. "Ginny… could you show me where everything is?"

He watched as the young girl smiled prettily at him and nodded. "Sure. I'll show you…"

Ginny let go of his hand, a peculiar look upon her face, as she turned and started moving into the kitchen. Harry gestured for Mrs. Weasley to precede him, as well, but the woman shook her head and made shooing motions with her hands for him to go first. Nodding, he followed Ginny into the kitchen.

Upon finally gaining a good look at the kitchen, Harry felt himself freeze. Everywhere that he looked, there was something moving or steaming or baking or… something. It was a controlled chaos beyond anything he had ever dreamed. Aromas that brought childhood flashes seemed to cascade all around him. It was almost too much to take in all at once, the sweet spiciness that tickled the tongue, even though there was nothing yet in reach to taste. I wonder if my Mum could cook?

"Harry?"

He glanced down into the worried eyes of Ginny, her cheeks a rosy color. _She's embarrassed! Embarrassed about her home!_

Guilt created a lump in his stomach, the idea that his indefinable expression had somehow led her to think that he was… _what? … superior to all of this?_ Smiling a real smile, Harry reached out and took her hand in his, ignoring how cold she felt, the worry having not yet left her face. "It's… wonderful."

"W-what?" Ginny was clearly not expecting that as his response. "What are you talking about?"

Allowing a soft chuckle to pass his lips,. Harry stretched out his arms, Ginny's hand forced to move along with his since he had not let her hand go. He gestured all around, turning from side to side. "Everything. I've never seen something so beautiful…" Harry grinned cheekily at the redheaded girl. "Not since you, that is."

Ginny's face went from the palest of whites to the darkest of reds, beyond any other blush he'd witnessed so far, at his words. He reluctantly allowed Ginny to pull her hand away from his, as she hid her face in her hands, turning away from him quickly and moving further into the kitchen. He began to follow, but Molly Weasley caught his attention.

"Why don't you sit down, dear?" She smiled and Harry could instantly see some of her daughter in that smile. "Let me get you some tea, or juice perhaps. You've had a long morning from what my Arthur has indicated."

Sparing a quick look at Ginny who was obviously avoiding his gaze, he allowed himself to be led over to the table's edge and pressed down into one of the mismatched chairs that were available. Harry had only a moment to take in his new place before Mrs. Weasley had a cold glass of pumpkin juice in his hands and a napkin in his lap. Grinning bemusedly, he sipped the juice, watching as Ginny would set plates and flatware in front of the various chairs while her mother began setting several plates of food in the table's middle.

"Gin?" He asked softly when she finally, the last place setting, was next to him. Her brown eyes peaked out from under her gloriously red hair, her cheeks still tinged in a blush from his earlier statement. "Talk to me."

He watched as she shot a covert look to see what her mother was doing. Seeing that the woman was across the room carefully pulling something out of the oven, she leaned down and kissed him quickly on the cheek. Casting his own glance over at the Weasley matriarch, he tried to look at her in some way of getting her to answer his unasked question.

Ginny seemed to understand, as she shared a smile with him. Even with her leaning close, he still strained to hear her words. "Do you really like it here?"

Harry leaned back. Her eyes held a desperate hope, nearly a plea of acceptance. _Why was this such a burden for her? He considered the love he knew… that he felt, that filled this place… somewhere to call home for than for a week at a time._

"Harry?"

Reaching out, he playfully pulled on a lock on her hair, forcing her to stay close, preventing her from pulling back. In that quiet moment, her eyes locked on his, he leaned back into her and whispered, the hair around her face whirling at the touch of his breath. "I'm not sure why you think I'd not like your home… where you grew up. I think it's just about the greatest place I've ever seen, much less been in… and that includes Hogwarts."

She smiled at him again. From the corner of his perception, Ginny's mother was carefully watching them. _Never underestimate the dangers of a mum to watch out for her only daughter in the hands of a boy._ Harry released Ginny's hair, allowing her to slip away, and giving him a better view of her mother. He looked directly at Mrs. Weasley and was pleased to see that she seemed flushed and happy. _Did she hear what I said to Ginny?_ Smiling, he winked at Ginny's mother. He almost fell out of his seat when she winked back.

Harry considered what to do next as he finished the rest of his juice, but was saved from further scrutiny as the kitchen door along the other wall suddenly burst open and a gaggle of red hair stormed into the room. He had to hold in a laugh as Fred and George were dragging Ron across the room towards the table, when two more redheaded boys, both older, were chasing after.

"C'mon, ickle Ronnikins, tell us…" One of the twins began.

The other of course completed the thought. "His secret and we'll let you live."

"No…" Ron wailed. "I promised 'em."

"Promised?"

"Then you do know…"

"Who our famous brother is seeing?"

A larger redhead with a ponytail reached out and cuffed Fred… maybe George… across the shoulder. "Leave 'em alone."

The hit seemed to spark a real sibling war. The older boys chasing the younger three started yelling in earnest while the younger three Harry knew from school started arguing back. Harry tried to make out what was going on, but no one was making much sense. _Something about dragons… no. Wait. About a Frenchwoman and charming a dragon… maybe?_

Completely confused, Harry tried to catch sight of Ginny to maybe offer him a clue as to what exactly was going on. Instead of being any help, he was able to only glimpse the smallest of the Weasley's jump into the thick of everything, pulling at her brother, Ron, while holding off all four of the others.

At first, Harry felt the need to jump in and defend his… _girlfriend?_ The thought stopped him from moving, but he continued to watch as the little redhead he enjoyed kissing and holding close was suddenly a flurry of movement, her brothers no match for the intensity of her jarring turns and cutting remarks, until all five of the boys were quiet and apologetic.

Quirking his eyebrow, he caught a flutter of pride across her mother's face before the older woman slammed one of her pots against the rustic oven in front of her. The clang reverberated throughout the kitchen area, leading to everyone stopping immediately what they were doing, Harry included, even though he'd watched as the cast iron pot had struck.

"All of you." Molly Weasley's voice was like a whip. "How dare you act like such heathens and ruffians, especially when we have company."

The eldest looking of Ginny's brothers, a fairly good looking bloke if you got over the red hair and freckles across his suntanned skin, looked like he was about to attempt to step forward and shoulder the blame. "It was all Fred's fault, Mum…."

"What!" Both of the twins screamed together. "I cannot believe…"

"You actually said that!"

The accusations started flying again. Harry wasn't sure what to do, his only solid link to the family being Ginny… and she was in the middle of everything, all at once. Looking around, even Molly Weasley was moving into the argument, the worry over propriety and manners all but lost completely. He considered trying to sneak into one of the other rooms, when he looked to find Arthur Weasley standing in the doorway, a huge grin on his face.

Harry tilted his head and watched the older man, unsure if he should interrupt the look of contentment and joy the older man had for seeing his family fighting in the kitchen. _Moony was right… people in love and that have kids are completely mental…_

The noise level in the room kept rising. Harry looked longingly at the various exits out of the room, but all were either blocked or would be too revealing to use.

"ENOUGH!" Mr. Weasley suddenly hollered. The entire room went quiet, the sound of the father's voice echoing in Harry's ears, as he strode forward purposefully. Harry watched as he caused the sea of redheads part before him, his gaze meeting each of theirs until they dropped, unable to hold their father's glare. Harry watched as Mrs. Weasley beamed at her husband… that was, until he met her eyes and she too began studiously looking at the floor.

Once everyone was chastised properly, Arthur Weasley turned and smiled at Harry. Stunned, he could only nod back at the man who had brought him into his home for the holiday, and pray that he wasn't in any trouble here, as well.

Into the silence, Arthur Weasley finally spoke again. "So… who's ready to eat? I'm starved."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

A Christmas Eve lunch by Molly Weasley was nothing short of a masterful delight in home cooking. Once the family had gotten over their immediate shock at their father's apathetic attitude towards all of the arguing and yelling in the kitchen, everyone was quickly ushered to the various seats around the table and everyone began eating.

Introductions were simply stated. The eldest of Ginny's brothers was Bill. Harry was quickly informed that Bill was a curse breaker for Gringott's and had recently been transferred back to England after an extended jaunt over in Egypt. While the tall redhead was certainly polite, Harry kept sensing that the young man was constantly appraising him, almost as if he wanted to ask him something. In a stolen moment with Ginny later that evening, Ginny would convince him that her brother was just being overly protective.

The second of the Weasley's was Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania. The idea of working with such fearsome creatures immediately intrigued him, but the discussions around the table kept Harry from exploring anything further with the adventurous man. More often than naught, they were interrupted in their conversations by Mrs. Weasley who continued upon what Harry deduced to be a longstanding rant about the length of his hair and the earring in his ear. Harry had cheekily admitted to liking both, earning him a stern glare from Ginny's Mum.

Both Fred and George, as well as Ron, had all be very pleasant. Ginny snickered to Harry later that her father had threatened their Christmas presents if anything untoward occurred while Harry was visiting the Burrow. Harry, joining into the spirit of the pranks the two had played on him for half of the school term, evilly suggested pranking him themselves and blaming it on the three boys, taking away their presents. Ginny had loved the idea, but had admitted that their father wouldn't take away their holiday from them.

The moments alone were wonderful, Harry kissing Ginny on the back porch of her home, once again promising that he did indeed love her family's home. He could have stayed there under the stars with her forever, but eventually her mother had come to get the both of them, only narrowly missing the two of them embraced together, before she shushed them both off to bed… Ginny to her room, while Harry bunked in Ron's, the youngest Weasley brother moving into the missing brother's room, Percy Weasley.

All too soon it seemed, Harry only set his head upon the pillow on the bed, trying to ignore all of the orange in Ron's room, as well as the posters of the Chudley Cannons on the walls, all waving brightly back at him even though they hadn't won a game in nearly twenty-seven years.

"Harry!" A voice had broken into his dreams. "Happy Christmas!" Ginny had tackled him in the bed, her hair tousled and standing up in some places, ignoring the fact that he had still been sleeping. :

"War, then." He cried in response, his fingers moving to her unprotected sides, tickling her.

"No! Please!" She screamed, her words already filled with laughter as Harry mercilessly found several of the tender spots that he had discovered in their various snogging sessions away from prying eyes. He laughed at her unfocused form… his glasses on the end table behind him, as red hair flew everywhere in her attempts to escape his torment of his attacker.

Feeling her body tense, Harry slowly relaxed his attack, knowing that she was coming close to crying… unable to escape his grip. Unable to fight the self-satisfied smirk on his lips, he reached over for his glasses so that he could clearly see her.

"No fair" She pouted.

His glasses finally on, the world snapped back into focus. The first thing he saw was Mrs. Weasley watching the two of them, her eyes with a strange light in them. Harry knew that his cheeks were now red as he considered the scene she was catching the two of them in: her only daughter (in but a sleeping gown and robe) in bed with a boy she'd known for only a short time (in only a pair of pajama bottoms).

Ginny seemed to realize something was up as her laughter cut off and she turned towards Harry, her hand attempting to push stray hairs away from her face, when Ginny's eyes finally found her mother standing there, observing their antics.

They were both blushing as Mrs. Weasley cleared her throat, forcing both of them to meet her eyes. "After you two finish opening presents, Professor McGonagall wanted you to speak with Harry."

McGonagall? Harry nodded as Ginny stood, leaving Harry alone in the bed. "Mum… I'm…"

Whatever Ginny was about to say Harry would never know as Molly smiled… _almost sadly_… at her daughter. "I figured you might want to open your presents in here…"

Arthur Weasley appeared over his wife's shoulder. Ginny quickly went over and hugged both of them, offering Harry a chance to grab the top part of the pajama set he was wearing and trying to appear a little more decent in front of Ginny's parents. Once the three of them had all hugged, Molly nodded towards the end of the bed. Harry smiled at the stack of presents there for Ginny.

The grin of Ginny's face was near on malicious, as she jumped back onto the bed and picked up one of the packages. "This one's for you, Harry."

Harry jumped at her words. _A present for me?_ "What?" He turned back to the door, hoping that maybe one of her parents might explain what was going on, but the doorway was empty.

Ginny turned and looked at him, her eyes meeting his directly. "A present. For you." She glanced back at the pile and set a few in front of her before she set another one in front of him. "Here's another one."

"Why are there presents for me, Ginny?"

"Cause its Christmas, silly." She laughed at him. When she looked back at him and noticed that he had still not touched the gifts she'd laid in front of him, she stopped going through the stack and turned to face him. Harry watched passively as the beautiful girl sitting on the bed with him took both of his hands in hers. Looking up into her brown eyes, Harry watched as she smiled.

"Why wouldn't you have presents, Harry?"

He cleared his throat before answering. "The only people I can ever remember getting presents from are Remus and Sirius. I've never gotten anything from anyone else…"

Ginny's eyes sparkled, the threat of tears imminent. Her hands squeezed his as a she leaned over and kissed him on the lips. When they slowly pulled apart, she tilted her head to the left to consider him before she spoke. "I got you something…" When Harry started to protest, she narrowed her eyes in warning. "I know you don't have anything for me, but you being here is the best present of all."

He watched as Ginny smiled. "Mum and Dad surely got you something. Probably more than one or two things. Ron would have to give the great Harry Potter something…" He laughed along with her. "Fred and George, I know, got you something, though you might not want to open it without checking it over a few times first…"

"Ginny…"

"Not to mention Neville and Cedric…"

"Ginny…"

Continuing to ignore him, Ginny kept on. "Luna might have… Hermione definitely…."

Ginny, please."

She shook the hair out of her face as she looked at him expectantly. "Yes?"

"Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas, Harry."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Overall, it wasn't too bad of a haul.

From Neville, he'd gotten a wand holster. _Very nice._ The accompanying letter had explained that Neville's gran, Augusta Longbottom, had thought that everyone in their quad for Shacklebolt's war game should have one.

Luna had gotten him a two-year subscription to The Quibbler… the first issue he received had an exclusive report from someone Harry had never heard of that claimed that Harry was a _good_ clone of You-Know-Who. The artist rendering of Harry in the picture had been enough for Ginny to fall off the bed laughing.

He got an autographed snitch from Cedric. At Harry's questioning look, Ginny smiled and explained to him that since winning the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year, shopping was near on impossible for Cedric, so he'd started sending his own possessions as gifts… making sure to put his signature on everything. Last year, Ginny had gotten a broken clock. Ron had gotten an old shirt.

Fred and George gave a box of jokes, all original that they had created. Harry had to admit that he was impressed with the wide array of novelties and pranks they had created. The Marauders would be proud.

Ron gave a box of chocolate frogs. Harry laughed at the simplicity, but was honestly touched. Ginny rolled her eyes and swiped the chocolate, leaving him with a Albus Dumbledore card. Harry had immediately tossed it on the floor.

Harry had laughed at the book sent to him by Hermione, Rise and Fall of the Dark Lords. Scanning the table of contents, the last few chapters dealt with the destruction of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at the hands of a fifteen month old Harry Potter, as well as his subsequent disappearance and the three traitors that took him.

There was a jumper from Mrs. Weasley, as well as a fire-starting dragon card from Charlie. There were candies and well wishes from other students from Hogwarts.

It was Ginny's gift, however, that had touched Harry the most. She had shyly handed him nicely wrapped package. From his initial look, he'd thought it might be another book, but after tearing the paper away, he had found himself holding a picture frame with a photo of Ginny.

"You posed for this?" Harry had asked.

Blushing prettily, Ginny nodded. "I wanted something other than a snapshot… something nice for you."

Harry looked down at the photograph Ginny, a smile coming unbidden to his face as the girl in the picture laughed and waved to him. _I don't remember that dress…_ Setting it carefully down, he leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Thank you."

"Happy Christmas, Harry."

All in all, it was a fabulous Christmas morning of opening presents, which was followed up by a quick kiss and then breakfast with the Weasley family… which led to the reminder of his holiday going by quickly, with lots of fun and good food… nothing to spoil it at all…

Except for the fact that Sirius was still locked up…

And Lupin was still missing…

But nothing would compare to the conversation that was put off several times… five different instances, in fact… that would finally occur between himself and Professor McGonagall regarding Headmaster Albus Dumbledore and the real reason that Harry was at the school…

_And to all a good night._


	24. Back in the Thick of It

_A/N: Sorry for being away for a while… I've found quite a few new fanfic stories that I really, really liked… AND I've been contemplating changing the direction of the story. I know, I know… not what any of you really want to hear, but it's the truth. After re-reading the actual books, I keep coming back to an earlier assessment… one that may change where this story ends up at the very end. _

_Anyway… here's this chapter and there will be another one soon._

_DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Not yours. Hers. Period._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO – BACK IN THE THICK OF IT

"I'm sorry, but I'm still not sure that I'm following you…" Harry sat back in the chair, his eyes refusing to back down from the stern woman before him. "He wants me to do what?"

"Bond with a phoenix." Professor McGonagall stated simply.

_How can she be so calm about this?_ Harry screamed inside. _Bonded to a bloody bird? Who cares if it's magical or not!_ Outward, he did everything he could to seem calm. "Okay… and the reason for something like that would be…?"

"Mr. Potter… Harry. You must understand… the needs of… "The Transfiguration teacher sighed. She looked at her hands clasped on the desk between her and Harry, before her eyes returned to meet his. "What I need to tell you must remain in the strictest of confidences, Harry. I will be trusting you with a great secret that I have held for many, many years."

_To say that this is confusing would be an understatement._ Harry absently ran his hand through his hair, trying to get it from falling directly into his eyes. _First, some bond with a ruddy bird… and now, secrets from Dumbledore's right hand. Is this a set up?_ He was stalling… he knew that, but he also refused to break the professor's eye contact. As the stare down seemed to continue on for hours,

_I've got to know…_ Harry finally nodded slowly. "I give you my word to hold what you say to me."

It was apparently the correct answer to give, as Minerva McGonagall seemed to suddenly lose the tension in her body and her eyes softened. "Thank you… Harry."

Harry smiled but he knew it looked forced. Instead of replying, he sat up in his chair and gave the Scottish woman his full attention.

"A long time ago, Headmaster Dumbledore and I… Albus and I were lovers." Harry's eyebrows shot up, but he wisely refused to interrupt. Instead, he watched as the witch in front of him smiled sadly. "I know that this is not what you were expecting, but it is important to the tale.

"Anyway, this was during the days of Grendelwald… of the first great war of Light and Darkness of this century. Albus was already a powerful wizard by this time, and many of the ministries across Europe sought him out to help defend against the dark wizard's followers.

"I, on the other hand, was a.very young and only recently graduated witch from Hogwarts who was being forced to marry by the orders of my very old-fashioned father due to an arranged marriage that had been decided well before my own birth."

He hated to do it, but Harry leaned forward and caught her attention. "You mean…?"

"Patience, Harry. Trust me." McGonagall smiled. "Now, as I was saying… I was due to marry, but the war began and my betrothed was called to fight. Reckless with the illusioned immortality that all possess as youths, I disobeyed my family's wishes and went into the war, as well. "It was during this time that I met Albus Dumbledore…"

"Wait." Harry's head was spinning. "You mean you weren't engaged to Dumbledore?"

She shook her head. "No. I met him during the fighting in the fields of France." He watched as her eyes faded into the memories. "His power was extraordinary… like the tales of Merlin. Soon after meeting, we fell hopelessly in love with one another… a point of light in such dark times.

"Many battles were fought. Albus was victorious time after time, his name becoming synonymous with defeating the dark wizard. And as his fame and power grew, so did mine. I never knew, but we had become something of icons to many others, and it my name that was on others' tongues… not just that of Albus Dumbledore… and that made us marked.

"Wizards flocked to us, to join our fight and to protect us. Soon, we had enough support that Albus began his own group… his order, to battle the darkness, an order that would follow his lead… his direction rather than that of the governments of the world.

"Do you know much of the war that Muggles refer to as the Second World War?"

The change of direction caught Harry off guard and he was quiet for a moment. He felt his face flame under the professor's scrutiny and finally nodded. "Adolf Hitler and the Nazi."

"Yes." Her voice was cool. "He was a Muggle servant to Grendelwald, a way for the dark wizard to hide the blatant acts of our war from theirs. If you think back, you will remember that one of Nazi Germany's many symbols was the black phoenix, a contradiction if there ever was one, as all know that phoenixes are creatures of light.

"Grendelwald considered himself a dark phoenix, though to actually be such is an impossibility."

"I don't understand what you are wanting me to understand."

"Those… followers that Albus and I gathered to us. We named ourselves the Order of the Phoenix: a Light side to their Darkness."

Harry shifted in his seat. _Padfoot and Moony used to talk about the Order of the Phoenix._ "What does this have to do with his wanting me to Soul Bond to a phoenix?"

The teacher stood up and began pacing about the room. "The Order's directive was based on joining together to do whatever was necessary to defeat the forces of Darkness. We were to act outside of the ministries and governments, answerable to no one but ourselves in our pursuit of stopping Grendalwald."

"What happened?"

"We weren't strong enough. No where near him. Barely begun, the Order of the Phoenix almost perished immediately upon forming."

Harry considered how to respond. He watched as the woman before him seemed to almost vibrate, her emotions from the past too much for her to withstand. "Tell me what he did."

McGonagall looked shocked. Harry watched as she smoothed the pleats in her robe as she stalled for time. Harry kept his features smooth, knowing that she was troubled. _Did Grendelwald…?_

"So much was lost… so much pain and suffering… it nearly broke Albus. He had been so sure… we had been so sure in our magic that the thought of failure had never really occurred to us… any of us. Albus took it the worst, though. He took what happened to… to all of us as his own fault."

Harry quietly agreed and understood. "What did Dumbledore do?" He repeated.

"Old magic." She stopped and looked at him, her eyes meeting his. "Albus thinks that old magic saved you, somehow, that your mother or father did something to protect you from the killing curse."

She shook her head, almost as if answering a quiet question that she only heard. "Soul Bonding is an archaic custom no longer exactly legal by today's standards whereby a witch and a wizard… link… themselves to one another, their souls becoming one."

"Really?" Harry felt gobsmacked.

"Oh, yes. It was primarily used to force arranged marriages where the two… participants, yes… they were not exactly happy with the arrangement."

"It can be forced?"

She nodded. "Fortunes have been lost and gained due to politically motivated marriages, families becoming stronger and stronger… but that is not what matters. It was later used as a form of slavery, forcing witches to be less than their wizard husbands… Albus discovered a way that a powerful wizard or witch could choose a familiar and bond with it, instead."

"His phoenix? The one in his office?"

She nodded. "Yes. His name is Fawkes. Phoenixes are exceptionally rare creatures that seldom act as familiars to a wizard. In fact, most of history tells us that only four known wizards have ever been graced by the longstanding company of a phoenix."

"And I'm guessing he bonded to Fawkes?"

The professor's eyes began to glisten to unshed tears. "He felt it was the only way to gain enough power… enough lightness to oppose Grendelwald." She waved off his questions. "And it worked, but at price."

What type of price?"

"One he was readily agreeable to: me."

Harry was frozen. Stunned. "I… well, uhm… I…"

Finally, the Head of Gryffindor took pity on him. "He said it was for the greater good, that our love was something he would always cherish, but that the Light had to prevail. So, he called Fawkes to him and performed the Soul Bonding."

"And it worked, obviously, as Grendelwald was defeated."

"Yes." She answered softly. "Though it was not by much."

Harry rubbed at his chin. "Excuse me for asking, but you said that you and Dumbledore were lovers. Not now?"

She shook her head.

"Because of the war?"

"No. Because of his Soul Bond to Fawkes." Minerva's shoulders sagged. "Being Bonded means forsaking all others… forever."

Harry tilted his head to the left as he considered her. "I'm not sure…"

"Old magic, Harry. He couldn't if he wanted to."

"But you, surely…"

Professor McGonagall shook her head. "To betray a Soul Bond is to betray life. To betray life is to choose death. And choosing death…"

"Means dying." Harry completed.

"Who else besides Dumbledore?"

Minerva McGonagall pressed her lips together. "Merlin, of course. Rowena Ravenclaw was said to have one, and then Al Crowley in America."

_Interesting mix._ "How do you get one?"

She rewarded him with one of her trademarked smirks. "Only an act of the greatest sacrifice."

Harry smiled mischievously. "No thanks." His eyes narrowed. "Wait. If that's the case, how can he expect to Soul Bond me to one if they're so rare?"

At his question, she sighed. "According to our esteemed Headmaster, the offer of a Wizard's soul is considered, in of itself, a large enough sacrifice to call a phoenix to you."

Harry stood now. "But if I refuse…"

"I never said willing." McGonagall responded. "Remember, it could be forced on children for marriages. It can be forced this way, as well.

"But… b-but that…" He was at a total loss for words. "He can't do that! I won't let him do that!"

"Neither will I." He looked up and was immediately able to see the determination in her eyes. "Neither will I, Harry. Neither will I."

"But it doesn't make sense." Harry was pacing. "I know that Voldemort tried to kill me… but why should I be bloody Bonded to a phoenix. Why can't Dumbledore just fight 'em and be done with it?"

"It's about the prophecy, Harry."

He turned on her then, his eyes flashing in anger. "Sirius told me about that… that, rubbish! So what if I survived when I completed the prophecy that killed him. And yes, before you ask, I know that with an ego as large as his, he'll try and hunt me down… that's why I've hidden my entire life… until everyone forced me to come here."

McGonagall wisely allowed him to rant. Harry could see the sympathy on her face and it only added fuel to the fire. It took all of his willpower to not start throwing magic around, destroying everything in her office. He continued yelling, his voice cracking under the strain… all the while under the careful eye of the Deputy Headmistress.

He finally quieted and the room seemed to echo only silence.

"Harry…" she began. "There's more to the prophecy than you know…"

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

The rest of the private meeting with Professor McGonagall had leaned towards her desire to express that Albus Dumbledore was not an evil wizard, but rather that he could sometimes get so caught up in the fight to win the war that he didn't see that those fighting that same war were not in complete agreement. In other words, might made right and Dumbledore was the mightiest wizard around.

Harry shook his head as he rounded a corner and started up the stairs towards the dormitory, his frustration at all that Minerva McGonagall had told to him left him nearly bereft of speech.

Walking briskly across the stones steps, his feet carrying him to the Gryffindor common room, Harry hoped that everyone was somewhere close by… he needed to talk. Also, completely honest with himself, he missed Ginny, even though they had only been apart for less than four hours.

Smiling at the Fat Lady, Harry's gaze shot to the people spread out about the room. Seeing that Ginny was not immediately present (nor were Hermione, Ron or Neville), Harry walked over to where Lavender Brown was sitting on the couch, talking with Seamus Finnegan. Both looked up at his approach.

"Lavender?"

"Yes, Harry?" She batted her eyes at him to the obvious frustration of Seamus.

Harry ignored it. "Are Ginny and Hermione upstairs?"

Her smile faltered for a moment. "Hermione is, though I'm not sure about Ginny." At the arching of his eyebrow, she continued. "Last I saw her, she was talking to Malfoy near the front entrance."

"No." Seamus offered. "She came in right before you did… maybe thirty minutes ago."

"Oh."

_With Draco?_ Harry pushed the thought aside. "So, will you go tell them I'm back?"

The beautiful dark-haired girl stood, her eyes trailed across him in obvious hunger. Harry would have blushed at such a look, but he was still angry from Professor McGonagall's talk and that kept things from going out of control. He silently counted to ten and forced a smile at the audacity of the girl, especially as it was fairly well known now that he and Ginny were together. _I bloody well just spent Christmas at her home!_

"Anything for you, Harry…"

Purposefully avoiding the implied offer, Harry nodded once and turned to look at Seamus. The other boy was carefully watching the two of them, his face a tight mask of control. The two of them were quiet as Lavender smiled prettily at both of them before turning to run up the girls' staircase.

"Quite a handful." Harry offered.

Seamus Finnegan ran licked at his lips, his discomfort obvious. "Sorry 'bout that. She's a bit…"

"Flighty?"

The boy laughed. "I was going to say randy, but yours sounds nicer."

Harry smiled back, suddenly feeling sympathy for one of his Gryffindor dorm mates. "Has she always been like that?" At Seamus' look, Harry grinned. "Flighty, I mean?"

"Pretty much since the moment she realized boys liked looking at her." He sighed. "Right off, Lavender was always a nice looking bird with a wee bit of an attitude, but once she realized that all the boys would drop everything to do as she asked… well…"

Harry put his hands in his pants pockets. "Why do you put up with it?"

"Cause she's right." It was Harry's turn to give a look. Seamus laughed. "She's just about the closest thing I've ever seen to a real angel… and I'm pretty much wrapped up in a pink bow for her."

Harry arched his eyebrow. "Pink doesn't really suit you."

Seamus laughed. "Tell me about it, mate."

Harry scrunched his eyes together as he considered Seamus' words. The boy sitting on the couch quietly waited. Harry glanced around to make sure that no one was near, as he leaned closer. "What's the attraction with me, then?"

"You mean other than the fact that you're the great and mighty Harry Potter?" When Harry rolled his eyes, Seamus grinned cheekily and leaned back. "Let's see… you've got the whole new guy mystique and that was even before everyone learned who you really were; you're a fairly clean cut bloke. Famous. Rich. I mean, what…"

"Rich?" Harry barked. "I've been on the run my entire life. How could she think I had any money?"

Seamus suddenly looked like he'd rather be anywhere other than talking to him, but Harry refused to let him go. Unable to find a safe way to immediately escape, Seamus began looking around for help.

"Seamus? Seamus." Harry snapped his fingers in front of the dark skinned boy, trying to recapture his attention. "You haven't answered my question… Seamus?"

"What question, Harry?"

Turning, Harry quickly caught a glimpse of Lavender leading Ginny and Hermione down the stairs. All three had surprised looks on their faces; each wondering what was going on. It was Ginny that had called Harry's attention to their arrival.

Relaxing his stance, Harry turned to realize that he had a handful of Seamus' robes in his fist. More to the point, he was looming over the other boy. Opening his hand and allowing the material to escape, Harry guilty stood still as Seamus backed away… his gaze carefully considering the best way to bolt away if the need arose.

Shaking his head in disgust at his own actions, Harry turned back to the girls that were slowly drawing near. He forced himself to avoid and ignore all of the strange looks and startled expressions that others within the common room were giving him. Instead, he focused on Hermione and Ginny… and lavender to a lesser degree. All three seemed worried, but there was no fear. Not yet, at least, his inner voice screamed.

"Harry." Ginny was finally close enough to tentatively reach out, her hand lightly resting on his arm. "What were you asking Seamus about?"

He tried to avoid her gaze, but the sparkle of her brown eyes drew him in like a moth to a flame. Sighing, he smiled as he inhaled the scent of flowers and rain… his personal view of how she smelled. "He… he said I was rich… that…" His eyes darted to Lavender for only a moment. "That some people… girls… thought I was wealthy."

He watched as Ginny and Hermione shared a look, both tinting only the briefest of a blush, before they turned back towards him. "Harry…" Ginny began.

"You mean you don't know?" Lavender practically shouted over Ginny. Hermione twisted her head around, her eyes suddenly blazing. Harry idly noted that his friend's expression also clearly allowed him to know that people had been keeping things from him… whether intentional or not. He watched as Ginny pulled her face away from his and both she and Hermione were glaring at the third girl

For a moment, he considered allowing the three of them to argue… and while a part of him had no problem with his friends tearing into Lavender Brown, the intellectual side of him knew that a fight, even if only words were thrown, might delay any answers he was going to be receiving any time soon.

Running his hands through his hair, knowing that his hair was probably sticking up worse than usual, Harry stepped over to where all three women were bickering. "Excuse me."

For a moment, his words seemed lost in the cacophony of voices. Hermione was the first to see that Harry was trying to gain their attention. He watched her elbow Ginny, the smaller girl turning to glare at her friend before realizing that he was standing there, his arms now carefully crossed across his chest. Ginny blushed a bright red immediately, while Hermione was suddenly staring at the floor.

In the sudden silence, Lavender opened her mouth to continue on, but she looked over at Harry and wisely decided that perhaps retreat was the smarter option. Harry idly noted that she grabbed Seamus' arm and the two of them were suddenly out of the common room through the portrait. In fact, most of the room seemed surprisingly abandoned.

"I'm sorry…" Hermione started, but she snapped her mouth shut at the look he gave her.

Harry walked over toward the couch vacated by Seamus and leaned against the armrest. Pushing the hair away from his eyes, he adjusted his glasses and looked at the two of them. "I'm rich?"

Hermione blew her breath out. Ginny nodded.

"And everyone knows this except me why?"

"Your parents." Ginny spoke softly, though it carried to his ears easily. "The Potter family was… is, I guess. You are very well off."

He nodded slowly. _Padfoot, you flea bitten mongrel. Why did we live like that?_ He closed his eyes, hoping the self imposed blindness would help with the sudden onslaught of a headache he could feel approaching. "And everyone knew this because?"

Ginny drew closer. "The Ministry tried to take it. The papers learned and, well… it's fairly well known that you and Sirius Black are two of the richest wizards in England."

"What?" Harry sputtered. "Me? And Padfoot?" He was up suddenly, though he couldn't remember moving from the couch. "Wealthy?"

Hermione nodded. "After Ginny told me, I looked it up. Just in what you have liquid, not counting stocks, land and other ownerships… you and your godfather together own nearly a quarter of the wizarding world."

"B-but we're… they're accused of…"

Ginny smiled as she stepped into his arms, her own wrapping carefully about his waist. "It's all about family, Harry. Almost everyone has had a dark wizard in their family at one time or another. The Ministry can't seize accounts just because they say the owner is evil."

Harry rested his chin on Ginny's head as he looked at Hermione. He smiled at her look. "Otherwise, Draco would be a pauper right about now…"

He chuckled, though he felt Ginny tense in his arms. Pushing her back so that he could look into her eyes. He smiled at the sparkle that he saw there. "Are you okay?"

She nodded. "What did you send Lavender up about? Was it about the money?"

Harry shook his head. He started to answer, but Hermione pulled his attention towards her. "So, since you now are a wealthy wizard, are you going to buy some decent clothes or are you going to blow it all on buying chocolate for Ginny?"

Ginny turned, her face looking offended, but Harry laughed at the joke. "Maybe only half on chocolate. I hear flowers are traditionally another gift."

His arm instinctively came up to block the punch Ginny threw at his stomach. "You're such a prat!"

Holding on to her hand, Ginny brought it up to his lips, ignoring her struggles to prevent it. "No flowers then? Mayhap the fair maiden might wish something else?"

Hermione started laughing, though Ginny only increased her attempts to escape his grasp. "Let. Me. Go."

Sighing dramatically, Harry twisted around so that he back was to the couch. Finally, with a wink, he nodded. "As my lady commands." He opened his hand as a look of wonder crossed over Ginny's features at suddenly being released. Too far into pulling against him, gravity caught her and she let out a quick yelp of surprise at falling before she landed safely on the cushions of the couch, bouncing safely to the floor.

_I am in trouble now._ Harry tried to keep from smiling as he held his hands up front of him in an offer of peace. Ginny blew her hair out of her face as she reddened. Her eyes sparkled dangerously as she frowned up at him, murder dancing across her features.

"Uhm… Harry…" Hermione stepped away from them. "I'd run."

"Ginny?" He asked, hoping for something.

No. Instead, Ginny stood and began stalking him. For a moment, he felt worried, but Ginny smiled as she tried to draw nearer. "It'll be worse for you if you run, Mr. Potter."

He laughed, moving quickly to keep the couch between the two of them. Ginny moved to catch him, but he mirrored her movements, effective safe as long as he paid attention.

"I was only playing…."

Ginny grinned predatorily. "So am I, love."

"Truce?" Harry offered.

Hope for an easy resolution died as Ginny shook her head. "Sorry, but no." She darted to the left, but Harry easily moved opposite of her, the couch effectively his only protection. "Take it like a man… "

He darted his eyes over to Hermione, but she was offering no assistance as she sat on the stairs, her hands covering her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. His glance was almost his undoing, as Ginny took that moment to dive over the back of the couch, her hands nearly grabbing a hold of his shirt, as he first made sure she was not hurt before he took off towards the Fat Lady.

"Run, Harry, run!" Hermione called from somewhere behind him.

Ginny had to be close. Rushing towards the portrait, he ignored the Fat Lady's wide eyed glare at his fast approach and pushed with his magic, the hidden door suddenly wide open.

"Young man! How rude…"

Ignoring the admonishments from the sentient painting, he darted out into the cool stone corridor. Ignoring the looks of surprise, he continued running, hoping for some type of escape, before he suddenly felt someone tackle him from behind, knocking them both to the floor.

"Aha!" Ginny screamed in triumph.

Harry tried to twist around, but the petite redhead was straddling his back, forcing his chest into the floor, his hands were outstretched, her small hands holding them down at his elbow, locking them in place… and to add insult to injury, his glasses had come loose in the fall and he was only able to make out blurry objects all around him.

Laughter seemed to come from all sides as Ginny leaned down and taunted him. "And who is the greatest ever?"

"What?" He tried to struggle free, his efforts in vain.

"I said," Ginny's voice was louder, apparently getting everyone's attention. "Who is the best? Who beat you, fair and square? Who…?"

Harry started to laugh and offer up praises to her name, when screaming started down the hallway. He was practically blind without his glasses, so the best he could do was to move as soon as Ginny released his arms. As he stood, he barely recognized that Ginny had fallen over at his quick movements, his wand in his hand.

"Accio glasses." He called quickly.

Wasting no time, he barely had a chance to put them on, his eyes blinking rapidly to restore focus, when there was a large roar to his left.

_An explosion! _

Harry moved his hands up to create a shield, hoping to protect as many as he could, though the most important thing was to protect Ginny. He could feel the magic snap into place, the half circle of power holding back the sudden rush of heat and light from the side, when pain seemed to suddenly erupt inside of his head, the scar across his forehead burning as if molten metal was pouring out across his face.

It took all of his will to remain standing, to hold the shield. He considered calling for Ginny or someone, possibly to help, when a figure tackled Harry from behind, throwing them both hard to the stone-worked floor.

He had only a moment to wonder at what was happening before the concussive force of the blast swept over him.

_I've failed you, Padfoot…_

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Harry?" A feminine voice called to him from the darkness. "It's time to get up, Harry…"

He tried to mumble something… anything… to ask for five more minutes before having to get up for class. _But that would be wrong_, his mind wanted to shout. _Girls weren't allowed in the boys' tower… so why then is a definitely female person trying to wake me up?_

With an extreme effort, Harry attempted to open his eyes, to acknowledge in some small way that he could hear her, but nothing seemed to want to work.

_Where am I?_

His mind slowly tried to catalogue everything that was going on. His eyes were already closed, so he tried to push out in order to get something back, but the room stayed still and dark. Trying not to sigh… his chest hurting, Harry attempted to hum, to create some resonance to focus on, but his throat was parched. _Dry. _

_What is going on!_

As he felt his frustration grown, Harry felt his magic finally begin to respond, though it barely flickered in contrast to what he was used to. But with the return of his magic, so came the flood of memories. _The explosion! Someone knocked me to the ground… Ginny!_

"G-gin…nn..."

"Harry!" The voice above him was louder. He still couldn't even sense that they were there, his only access to the outside world depending upon his hearing. "Wake up, Harry. Come on, wake up."

With an inhuman effort, he felt one of his eyes crack open, the light in the room suddenly shooting daggers of pain straight into his head. He closed his eye immediately.

"Madam Pomfrey! Madam Pomfrey!" There was a shift on his bed. _Did someone get off the mattress? Who's been in my bed? _ "Harry's awake… Harry's awake…."

_Great. The infirmary… _

"Mr. Potter?" A new voice was now speaking to him. "I say, can you hear me, Mr. Potter?"

Harry mumbled something, his lips and tongue refusing to help him create any type of coherent sounds. Instead, he cracked his eye open again. There were several more blurry blobs in front of him, above him. None seemed to be redheaded.

"You are in the school infirmary, Mr. Potter." Yet another voice was talking. "There was… an accident. You saved several students, Mr. Potter." Was that Professor McGonagall's voice? "We are so glad that you have decided to wake up now… you have visitors, but only if you can open your eyes."

Harry opened his eyes wide, ignoring the ache that the light in the room seemed to cause somewhere behind his eyes. He blinked rapidly, trying to focus even for a moment on the figures standing all around him. For a brief second, his eyes caught the Headmaster, the school nurse and his Head of House looking worriedly at him. If it wasn't for the pain that continued to scream through him , as well as his weakened state, he might have thought the whole thing quite humorous.

"Can we see him now, Professor?"

Harry watched lazily, his focus failing again, as Hermione and Luna pushed past the Headmaster, their eyes red-rimmed and puffy from crying. They both drew very close, suddenly their blurry features more in detail, his eyes able to relax.

"We've been so worried, Harry… after the explosion… and then the search. And when we found Neville, his leg broken…"

"Miss Granger." Madam Pomfrey's voice cut his friend off from her babbling. "You only have a moment and I do not think Mr. Potter is strong enough to know everything that has happened while he's been here."

Hermione's cheeks reddened, but she turned back to him, her eyes bright with new tears. "I've been worried sick. I-I-I… just so happy you're okay… and after…" She cleared her throat. "It's just been so strange in class without you."

Luna's blonde hair and bright eyes were suddenly next to Hermione's. "You've been sleeping for over a week. You should get up already."

He wanted to grin at the absurdity of not having his glasses and forcing the two girls to be so near, their noses almost touching… _Ginny might get jealous._

At the thought of his girlfriend, Harry felt lightheaded. _Where is she?_ Trying to clear his throat, Harry tried to put everything he wanted to say in his eyes as he licked his lips. "G-g-ginn…?"

Hermione seemed to recoil from his question. "Harry…"

As Hermione's featured blurred from her pulling back from him, his eyes instinctively moved over to the pale blue eyes of Luna. She didn't shy away from his stare, but instead frowned… something he did not often see on the pretty blonde-haired girl's face.

"I'm so sorry, Harry…"

The weight of the pain he'd been forcing away decided at that moment, his heart wanting to break, to come crashing back in. A grunt of… something, passed his lips before he closed his eyes and fell back to sleep… the sounds of Hermione and Luna arguing with the adults around his bed lulling him into another fitful sleep.

_Ginny?_

_Where are you?_

_What's happened?_


	25. The Worst of Pains

_DISCLAIMER: So… think JKR will give it all to me? Me neither._

_A/N: Okay… as promised. Another chapter. Let's see if everyone gets as upset with me here as they did elsewhere. Flames welcome though actual reviews are more encouraged._

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE – THE WORST OF PAINS

"… udents to spend all of their time here, Headmaster. It isn't right, especially for two young ladies."

"Poppy, please." He could hear Dumbledore's voice answering the school nurse. "I do understand your concern, but they feel very dedicated to their friend, and I, for one, am pleased to see such loyalty in young people their ages."

"Fine." Madam Pomfrey retorted.

There was the shuffling of feet and the sound of fabric moving, before finally the sounds of two different sets of footsteps led the two away from Harry. He tried to open his eyes to confirm that they'd left, ignoring the way the echo of footsteps seemed to reverberate through his skull, no matter how thick Moony claimed it might be, but he was still so weak.

Quietly, he considered the words that he'd made out upon waking. _Students here? Ginny, maybe? _The image of Ginny's red hair cascading over her shoulder brought a smile to his face, but a hard, cold freeze to his stomach at remembering the sad voice of Luna when he'd last asked.

Refusing to remain in his uniformed state, Harry felt his fingers curl up into a fist as he readied himself for the pain of light. Like removing a bandage, Harry forced his eyes to open wide.

_Where's the pain?_

At first, things were black and he thought he might be blind, until finally he seemed to realize that there was no real light anywhere but for a few ever-burning candles situated along the walls of the infirmary. It's nighttime. Moving his head from side to side, he found his vision limited by privacy screens that had been put up around his bed. Sighing, he started to close his eyes again when movement caught his attention.

Near the foot of the bed he was laying on, two people seemed to be sleeping in chairs. They were situated so perfectly that the shadows and dark color of the blankets draped across them (not to mention his lack of glasses still) had made them nearly invisible.

He tried to speak, to call out to them, but his throat was dry and all that he succeeded in doing was coughing. It was enough… instantly, almost as if a fire spell had been lit underneath their chairs, the two figures were up and beside him, talking over one another.

"Harry…" Hermione's voice seemed tired, but relieved.

The second voice surprised him. "Harry, mate…" Neville's grin was clear even in the gloom of the room. Smiling at seeing the other boy okay, especially after Luna and Hermione let it slip to him last time that Neville had broken his leg… it was just good to see someone was alright.

"Glasses…" He croaked. "Water, too…"

Instantly, Hermione was pushing a cup that had been waiting next to his bed into his hands. Gratefully, he brought it to his lips, the liquid burning as it touched his skin… the warmth burning at his tongue and spreading down into his stomach. He shuddered, his already trembling hands losing their grip. Neville's hand was there, ready for such an eventuality and carefully took the clay mug from him and set it on a table on the other side.

Failing to repress a shudder at the taste that now filled his mouth, he felt Hermione putting a pair of glasses on his face… the world snapping back into crisp focus.

"Wha…?"

"Your glasses were broken after…" Hermione shot Neville a glance. "After the explosion."

"These are charmed to not break, though I don't know if they could stand up to something like that…" Hermione smiled, though it never touched her eyes.

He nodded, not really caring that the glasses felt weird, but he did feel a touch of sadness that one of the few tangible gifts from Moony and Padfoot was gone. Taking a breath, he tried to fight the nausea from his roiling stomach and considered which direction to take.

"Harry?"

He forced his lips into a parody of a smile as he looked at Neville, cutting the boy off as he refused to wait any longer. "How long?"

Neville looked confused. "How long what?"

The girl in front of him rolled her eyes. "About seven days." When Harry didn't immediately say anything, Hermione shifted so that she could sit on the bed next to his legs and pressed her lips together. "Everything happened so fast. They got to you and… and the others that were injured fairly quick. We weren't allowed to see you until just a few days ago… do you remember?"

Harry nodded, ignoring the ache that was starting to come back. "Yeah… some of it."

Hermione smiled sadly. "Then you fell back asleep. Professor Dumbledore stood up for us and let us take turns sitting with you, never more than two at a time, but we could rotate."

"Who?"

Neville shuffled his feet nervously. Harry looked at him, forcing him to meet his gaze. "Tell me who."

"Harry…" Hermione's voice was soft, pleading. Trying to lessen the glare he was giving the brown haired boy, Harry moved his gaze over to her. If anything, she didn't seem pleased to have diverted his attention. "Ginny's not here…"

**Emotion can be the greatest liability in a fight. Hold what you have inside…** Harry focused on Moony's words echoing from the past. Breathing deeply thorough his nose, he kept still to prevent anyone from seeing how badly he wanted to shake.

"Is she okay?"

He wanted to cringe as the two friends before him looked at each other before looking back at him. Harry expected Hermione to speak, but it was Neville that finally spoke into the painful silence. "Once she was released… four days ago, she and some of the other students hurt have been…"

At his loss for words, Hermione reached over and grabbed Harry's hand. "What happened? Do you remember anything?"

Harry felt tired. "After Ginny chased me out of the tower, she tackled me and we were still playing. I remember an explosion or something like one… I raised a shield, holding everything back… then my head exploded, like someone was hacking at it with an axe. Then I got tackled. Everything went dark from there, until I woke up here."

He watched as they processed what he'd told them. "Why?"

"Draco Malfoy…"

Harry started to sit up, but the pain in his side caused him to gasp in pain as he turned slowly onto his side… the feeling to be sick causing his mouth to feel with the tart sensation that usually came before emptying his stomach. Breathing deeply, Harry helped keep the rolling of his stomach to a minimum as Hermione and Neville both fussed over him, helping to put him back properly into bed.

Once settled, Hermione glared balefully at him. "Going to be good now?" Without even waiting for his response, she sniffed haughtily and rolled her eyes. "As I was saying, Malfoy has been telling everyone about how he saved you… you and Ginny. Neville, and all of the others."

"Like anyone with sense would believe that?" Harry retorted. He smiled, waiting for the others to join him in a laugh, but felt his lips draw to a frown at the solemn looks he was getting. "Who?"

Hermione took a breath. "Ginny…"

"Ginny!" Harry tried to move, but Neville and Hermione had been ready for him this time, their hands pressing his shoulders to the bed. He was too weak to resist for long, his breathing becoming more labored until he was forced to accept defeat.

"Harry…"

"Tell me, Hermione." He tried to ignore the pain in his chest. "What is going on?"

Hermione tried to speak several times, but nothing came out. Harry sighed as tears welled in the corners of her eyes. He reached out and took her hand in his, trying desperately to give her strength.

Neville nodded. "Ginny has decided that she owes Draco Malfoy a Life Debt."

"What!"

Hermione was quietly crying as Neville shrugged. "She was completely beside herself when she first woke up, seeing you were hurt. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall both had to restrain her to keep her from getting out of bed." He smiled sadly. "It was quite funny to watch."

Harry wanted to smile, too, but he could tell this story wasn't going to have a happy ending. He turned to look at the bushy-haired Gryffindor as she took up the tale. "There were several stories spreading… Death Eaters in the school, failed magical prank gone bad. No one could tell."

"All we know at this point is that is wasn't an accident." Neville added. "This was planned… we just don't know by who."

Hermione grimaced. "That actually came from Draco. He started talking about how he'd stumbled across a Muggle device."

"A bomb?" Harry couldn't believe it. "Here?"

"Draco claims that since I was the only one he could think of that knew anything definitive regarding what he called Muggle Tek. He came running to our tower… looking for me."

"So…" Harry sighed. "He was too late and is saying he gets a Life Debt from Ginny out of that?"

Neville was shaking his head. "Oh, no. He's the one that tackled you in the hallway. He's claiming that he saved you and threw up a shield to protect you and Ginny… that you both would have died without his saving you."

"But… b-but that's not what happened…" He nearly whined.

Hermione pulled her hands away from his so that she could wipe away the wetness across her eyes and face. Running her nose across her sleeve in a most unladylike fashion, she grinned, though even Harry could tell it was fake. "Of course it's not true…"

"Nobody but Ginny fell for it." Neville spoke, his voice dark. "I'm sorry, Harry."

"She's with him now?" Harry asked, not really wanting an answer.

Hermione picked at the thread of the blanket. "No one is really sure what's going on. No one has seen them… doing anything…. But they're always together." He noticed that Hermione looked horrible. "Ginny moved back into the Fourth Year dorm."

"Back… what?"

She nodded. "Since my class and hers was small, few Gryffindor girls, we got permission from Professor McGonagall to share a dorm room, but she moved back after I tried to get her to talk, to tell me what was going on."

Harry kept his expression neutral as they continued.

"Her brothers tried talking to her… Me. Hermione and Luna… everyone." Neville's voice kept rising as his emotions seemed to get the better of him. "After everything that slimy git has put her through, put everyone through all these years. To just… just…"

He watched as the other boy's words trailed off. Hermione looked at him. "I'm so sorry."

Harry tried to come up with something to say, but Madam Pomfrey chose that moment to come to his rescue, her head popping into view from behind one of the screens. "Time for some potions, Mr. Potter."

He hated the taste of the vile liquids that he had been forced to endure, but they gave him the perfect opportunity that he needed. Sighing, he looked back at his friends, the pain of their sympathy and….pity?... almost too much. He smiled apologetically. "I think I'd like to be alone for a while."

"Why?" Hermione looked hurt at Harry's words.

"To go to sleep." Harry answered quietly. "I want to go back to sleep…"

"Mate…" Neville's eyes were round. "What are…?"

"Harry…" Hermione's voice clearly betrayed that she didn't want to leave him alone.

"It'll be okay." Harry worked to keep his voice even. "We were only together for a short time… and nobody ever stays together with the first person that they fall for." It took all of his energy to ignore the renewed tears in Hermione's eyes.

"Harry…"

"I'll get over it… she apparently has."

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"Do you believe in fate, Harry Potter?"

Harry opened his eyes and immediately shut them. It was bright again. _Must be morning._ Carefully raising his arm to cast his face in shadow, For a moment, he considered trying to go back to sleep… maybe to slip into a coma, but the memories of his nightmares… of Ginny in the arms of Malfoy bubbled to the surface of his thoughts and he decided to stay awake… maybe forever.

Harry tried to open his eyes again. A blurry outline of an angel seemed to be sitting in front of him, its hand reaching out to him.

Smiling, he reached out to take its hand… possibly moving on to the next great adventure, when the feel of hard plastic filled his palm. Harry started as he realized that someone was handing him his glasses. Hoping his face had not been too foolish, he carefully settled the glasses over his eyes. Looking over, he felt a smile on his lips as he looked up into Luna's smiling face.

"Well?" She asked, her pale blue eyes sparkling.

"Uhm. What?"

"Fate, Harry Potter. Do you believe in fate?"

He ran his hand along the back of his neck as he considered the blonde girl. "You mean like destiny?"

A small smile curved at her pink lips as she nodded. "Yes. Exactly. Destiny."

"I don't think so."

Luna tilted her head. "Don't think what?"

"That I believe in fate or destiny or anything else you want to call it." He tried to pop his neck. "I don't like to think we don't have a choice."

"What about prophecy?"

Harry growled. "Especially prophecy. The very idea of prophecy killed my parents… nearly killed me."

Luna didn't react to his anger. Rather, she smiled as patted his head like one would a pet. "It will be okay, Harry Potter. I just needed to know so I could decided whether to tell you the truth or not."

"Luna." Harry sighed. "Can't you just call me Harry?"

"Luna?" She looked around as if trying to find someone standing nearby. He watched her for a moment before she turned and looked at him, her face holding a look that he couldn't interpret. "I'm Luna?"

"Right. Luna Lovegood." He responded cheekily. He wanted to laugh at the startled expression on her face. _What by Merlin's hairy palms is going on?_

As she continued to stare at him, Harry waved his hand in front of her eyes to capture her attention. "What did you mean about telling me the truth?"

Finally, she shook herself out of whatever trace she'd gone into, her lips back into a smile. "About fate, of course." Luna replied dreamily, as if what she'd said was the most logical thing in the world.

"Are you channeling that crazy Divination professor now? Going to read my future?"

The beautiful blonde drew her brow closer to her eyes as she scowled down at him. Putting her hands on her hips, she flipped her head to the side, causing her hair to snake out and then fall behind her shoulder. "Are you making fun of me, Harry Potter?"

_Uh-oh. _Understanding that he was still very weak, not to mention clothes in very little beneath the blankets on the infirmary bed, he held up his hands in surrender. "I was only playing, Luna. Just a little bit of teasing…"

"I don't have to help you, you know."

Harry tried to keep his face serious as he nodded. "I know, but I'd love to know what truth you're talking about. What do you know about fate?"

"I know people make fun, use awful names." Her voice was soft. "Words and names like loon or looney. Not any fun to be around. Crazy. Insane."

"Luna…" he tried to interrupt, but he suddenly found a cool finger pressed against his lips, silencing anything more he might say.

"It's okay." She smiled, though her face still seemed… sad. "There's a purpose to everything. A type of fate… destiny that everything has to follow. I've seen it before… maybe only me since I'm special, the way I see the worlds around me."

"Worlds?" His hand captured hers, pulling her hand away from his mouth. "You mean between Muggles and Wizarding?"

She looked at him, almost as if she could see through him… inside of him. "All the different paths… all the various possibilities."

_What!_ "I don't understand, Luna… "

She laughed, the sound of bells tinkling all around him. "Destiny won't let you go, Harry Potter. Fate wants you to do what you must. You have to defeat the Dark One… only you."

"Me?" Harry gasped. "No way. I'm just trying to stay alive…"

She shook her head. "There are so many things that you need to learn… need to understand." Harry wanted to scream at her vagueness. "I wish there was more time. I only get to warn you this time…"

Harry reached out for her hand, trying to pull her close. "Time to what? Tell me, Luna? What are you talking about? Warn me about what? Why don't we have enough time?"

Tears like diamonds ran down her face, her eyes bright. "Harry Potter…I would willingly offer myself to help you fulfill your destiny, I've seen that path, though less often than other possibilities."

"Help me?"

"Yes. Help you." She smiled. "You're Gryffindor again… not tainted by the darkness like so often seen. You even got Sirius Black and Remus Lupin this time… But I won't be the one. I think it would have been wonderful… though I have to admit that Ginevra Weasley was the better choice. Always is when she is there. I hate that it looks to have failed this time. Though you with Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley offers a great chances of success, more so than just you and Hermione Granger."

"Ron?" Harry blinked several times, Luna's words making absolutely no sense. "You're mental, Luna. Bark raving mad, you are. Success with Hermione and Ron? And what about G-Ginny?" He tried to hold back the sudden slap of pain at saying her name.

The sunlight streaming through the windows chose that moment to shift, causing Luna's hair to light up like a halo… an aura of wisdom and power. Harry shielded his eyes from the sudden illumination that filled the infirmary. He wanted to call out to Luna… to pull her closer so that he could see her, but a set of lips suddenly met his, freezing him in place.

The kiss ended as quickly as it had begun. "Be true to who you are, Brightwing. Harry Potter. And remember that fate watches out for those that watch out for others."

The light kept increasing in intensity, even the blurry shadow of Luna's form pulling away not enough to keep him from having to hide from the unnatural brightness. Rubbing at his eyes, Harry found himself lying back on the bed surrounded by darkness. _It's night again. What happened?_ Reaching over, Harry picked up his glasses from the nightstand. _Nightstand? I was wearing my glasses… Did I fall asleep?_

Harry licked at his lips, the taste of something flowery on his tongue. _From the kiss._

"Are you better now?" Harry looked to the edge of the screens surrounding his bed to see Hermione sitting there, her eyes heavy and red from crying.

"'Mione?"

"Well?"

Harry shrugged. "How long have you been here?"

She stood from the chair she was sitting in and stretched out her arms, trying to loosen the muscles that had gotten stiff from waiting. Harry waited as she blushed. "I never left, actually. I snuck back in and have been here all along."

"What? From when?"

Hermione smiled as she continued to stretch. "From when you told me and Neville you wanted to be alone this morning. He took off, I stayed."

She opened her mouth to respond, but was interrupted by a loud banging sound from across the infirmary. Both of them moved to try and see what was going on, when Hermione suddenly drew back behind the privacy screens and motioned for Harry to act like he was asleep. Moving as fast as he dared, Harry nearly threw his glasses onto the table beside the bed and rested his head back onto the pillow before voices started drifting over to him.

Footsteps sounded from Madam Pomfrey's office towards the origin place of the disturbance. "What is going on out here?"

Harry nearly started when he heard the deep voice that answered. "'Orry 'bout that… jus needed to grab a few tings."

_Wasn't that the voice of that large man?_ Harry pondered silently, his heart racing. _What was his name… Madrid or something…?_

"Things?" The school nurse sounded scandalized. "What possible things could you need from in here?"

Harry wished Hermione would tell him what was going on… or better yet, that he could see for himself what was going on. Hopefully, his friend could stay undiscovered.

"Oh, my… Hagrid!" Pomfrey's voice suddenly called out. "What did you do to your hands?"

Harry wanted to laugh at the harrumph sound that the large man made. "Jus' a few 'pider bites… nutin' ta worry 'bout." _Spiders? What?_ "Da 'ole castle got 'piders ever'where… got to ged 'em out for another child geds 'hurt.."

"Well here… come with me…"

Harry had to sit through nearly fifteen minutes (though it seemed much, much longer) as the nurse fussed and fretted over the former Care of Magical Creatures professor. In that time, however, he was able to discern that the professors and other adults at Hogwarts were all becoming concerned that an enormous number of spiders and other insects were suddenly everywhere… and that the only feasible explanation that anyone had come up with so far was that the explosion had somehow caused the problem.

Eventually, however, Hagrid was all bandaged up and left over the protests of Madam Pomfrey, who admonished the larger man, ignoring how comical it could look that such a small woman would be chastising the giant. Once Hagrid had escaped, Harry sensed the nurse checking on him…. though she luckily never came all the way to his bedside and therefore did not catch Hermione huddled in a corner.

He popped his eyes open warily as he just was able to catch a glimpse of Hermione checking to make sure that the nurse had indeed returned to her office and private quarters. Apparently assured of their safety, Hermione turned and shared a smile with him before sitting back down in her chair.

"So…" She whispered. "Where were we?"

Harry waved her off. "What did Hagrid mean about another child hurt? Are spiders attacking students?"

Hermione seemed to shift uncomfortably in her seat under his glare, but eventually sighed and nodded. "_Colin Creevy_ He was found a few days ago frozen stiff."

"A spell?" Harry asked, but she was already shaking her head.

"No one really knows. He was found by a teacher and was taken immediately to St. Mungo's. Nobody really knows too much…"

"How do you know about it?"

He smiled as his friend blushed. "I overheard the Headmaster taking about it with Professor Snape. They are both quite worried about it." She rubbed at her arms and looked pleadingly at him.

Harry sighed. "I was asking about when you got here…"

"But for a few minutes after they kicked us out and a quick trip to the loo, I've been here practically the whole time, Harry." Hermione leaned close, though Harry could tell she was still upset about their earlier topic. "Just me.."

Harry shook his head. "But what about Luna? You were here when she was?"

"Luna?" Hermione's eyes widened comically. "Dreaming of other girls already?"

He knew she had said that to make him blush, but he was too confused. "But I woke up and found Luna here… she was talking about fate… and you and Ron… About Ginny and…"

"Me and who?" Her voice sounded put out. "Ron? As in Ronald Bilius Weasley? Are you completely mental?"

Harry sighed. "That's what I asked her… Luna, I mean."

"I'm not sure I understand."

Harry sat up, not even realizing that the pain he'd been feeling earlier was gone. "I'm not sure either, really. Something about Luna seeing different choices, the worlds that would exist if someone chose to go left at the end of the hallway instead of right."

"B-b-but that would… madness… how could…" Hermione sputtered, her eyes wide with the possibilities. "There could be no end to the number."

Harry nodded. _Wait!_ He looked up sharply. "Bilius? Ron's middle name is Bilius?"

Hermione smiled. "Ginny told me when he and Seamus wouldn't stop teasing me on our way to the World Cup. He hates the name."

"Don't blame 'em." He closed his eyes to cover the pain of thinking about Ginny. "I can't say that I'd be overly thrilled to be stuck with Bilius all my life either."

"But about Luna?" Hermione prompted, changing the subject..

Harry shook his head. "Just a dream, I guess… a dream to focus on rather than the alternative."

"Alternative?"

"Yeah." He smiled softly. "A reality where Ginny left me for Draco Malfoy."


	26. Let the Games Begin

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR – LET THE GAMES BEGIN

DISCLAIMER: Do I even need to say it anymore?

A/N: Wow. Lots and lots of unhappy people. All I can say is that thee is a reason for why people are acting the way they are. Yes, it may seem OOC, but there is a method to my madness. Hope you will hang in there.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

"So, little brother…."

"You and the great…"

"And wise. Don't forget wise."

"Ah, yes. Great and wise Harry Potter going to roll over for us?"

Ron looked back and forth between his older brothers trying to ignore the headache he felt starting whenever they completed sentences for each other. It was a trick that they'd learned early on, a way to make him dizzy and confused… especially whenever they were tormenting him and he tried to go running to Mum. He snorted at the memories, Molly Weasley finally catching a clue and punishing both of the twins rather than just one. It was one of the first things he taught Ginny after she'd been born: blame both.

"Why's it so important to you?" George smiled deviously, but Ron held his hand up forestalling any answer. "Just one of you, if you please."

George opened his mouth, but Fred touched him on the arm. Fred smiled. "First, how would it look to our many adoring fans if we lost to our little brother?"

Ron smiled. "You could blame it on Harry…"

"Oh, and we would." George piped in. "But think of how we'd look if we beat him, too."

"That's it?" He barked a laugh. "Forget it. I thought there might be something real you were doing, but…"

As Ron stood to leave from the small alcove that the three of them were currently sitting at, keeping any other classmates from drawing near. Dusting off the back of his pants, Ron ran his fingers across his chin. He had only made it a few paces away before both of his brothers called after him, asking him to come back.

"Why?" He called over his shoulder.

Fred hung his head. "We'll tell you everything."

Ron turned at that offer. "Everything?"

George grinned. "Well, about this anyway."

Ron looked up at the ceiling, his mind whirling as he considered the offer. It had been way too long since they'd included him into anything that they had planned. Slowly, he walked back to his seat and sat down, ignoring the pointedly evil looks plastered on their faces.

"Okay. Talk."

George leaned close, his voice barely above a whisper. "You know about Slytherin's wins yesterday?"

Ron felt his blood boil. Professor Shacklebolt had started the war games on time, much to the surprise and dismay of many students. It had been decided to not let the accident (as it was being called by the staff) near the Gryffindor tower interrupt the school classes or any of the extracurricular programs going on. Quidditch was still being practiced and the war games were not being cancelled.

His team, however, had been given a reprieve since both Harry and Neville were in the hospital wing and Hermione was staying with them. That left only Ron, and he wasn't about to walk up to face four opponents on his own.

So the schedule had been altered. Rather than two teams from each House starting yesterday, Gryffindor only had one and Slytherin had three. There were a lot of other teams that were to start today, but most of them were composed of intermixed students from more than one House.

Ron closed his eyes from thinking about the strange schedule and determination of which quad would face off against the other, and then on to fight in the next round against another team. Thirty teams. One hundred twenty students… and after yesterday, four teams had moved on and four had been eliminated. All three Slytherin teams had won. Ravenclaw won the next. The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams had been defeated.

"Let me get this straight." He crossed his arms as he tried to keep the smirk off of his face. "You two want me to throw the war game match in favor of you?"

Both twins nodded together smiling. "Absolutely."

"We may not even face off." Ron sighed. "They don't have any of the teams in the same House going at each other until later on."

"We know." Fred answered. "But we wanted to get this out of the way first."

"Why?"

"What?" George asked.

"I want to know why. Why do you want me to help you win?" He ran his hand through his hair. "What is going on that you have to ask me to get my team to throw the match IF.. if we even have a go against you."

They looked at each other again. Ron waited patiently while they seemed to communicate telepathically or something. Finally, they turned and looked at him. "It's our chance to get back at Draco Malfoy."

Ron nodded. "Malfoy, huh? This a type of payback for making you look foolish about that who Wizard's Duel Challenge?"

Fred scrunched his face up in disgust. "That slimy snake needs to be taught a lesson for what he tried doing to Ginny…"

"What he's doing to Ginny." George sighed.

Ron grimaced at his brothers' words. "Do you guys know what's going on with Ginny and… Malfoy?"

Both shook their heads. "No." Fred finally answered. "One minute, she's a lively and vivacious Weasley on cloud nine with the great and wise Harry Potter… holding his hand under the table at Christmas…"

"And the next, she's a moody and morose shadow that hangs on the arm and every word of the blonde-haired little bully." George finished.

"And she's going to probably throw her match today."

Ron's head jerked at that bit of news. "What?"

Fred nodded. "They're up against Draco's team… and with the way he'd been strutting around, not to mention that supposed Life Debt crap…"

George sighed. "You'd be protecting your money to not bet on Ginny and Cedric's quad to progress to the next round."

Ron sighed as he considered what to do about his sister. "And what do I get out of this if I can convince Harry and the others to throw the fight?"

Fred looked at George for a moment before arching an eyebrow at him. "You'll do it? Throw the match?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "Let me talk to some people…"

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Ignoring the pointed looks and angry glares, Ron pushed his way through the crowd of students that had already filled the area surrounding the Quidditch pitch, all hoping to catch a good seat for today's matches. Quietly counting to ten, he tried not to dwell too much on his brothers' prediction regarding how the teams were doing, but so far, they'd been dead on.

The first day had been all Slytherin… and so had the second. Over the two days of contests so far, it looked like the snakes were going to take all of the top spots… the only teams that looked to have any chance against them were Cedric's and his… and from the worry the twins were giving regarding Ginny, Cedric's team might not be too far in the running either. The only other possibility was if Fred and George's quad could keep everything together.

Fighting through the press of students and other spectators, he could a quick glimpse of Luna Lovegood sitting in a particularly good area with several empty seats beside her. Ron considered why people might be avoiding her… the weighing of her quirky personality against being able to clearly watch any of the games close up when he spotted something sticky sitting on the benches next to her. Possibly sensing his gaze, even through all of the people around and in between them both, the blonde girl raised her eyes and met his.

_She really is quite attractive_, Ron smirked to himself. Unbidden, memories of the pretty girl spending summers at The Burrow with his sister…the three of them playing down by the lake, chasing each other through the surrounding woods and trees along their property. Shaking his head, Ron could remember how in innocent fun they'd played.

Ron let his face continue the smile as he drew closer to her_. I could have fallen for her… all but for that last summer._

"Hello, Ronald." Her voice carried beautifully to his ear. "Did you want to sit?"

Ron tried to hide his questioning gaze at such a silly question, especially as upon a much closer view now, he could tell that some type of tree sap or other substance had been spread all over the seats immediately surrounding hers. "Uhm… I would, but…"

Luna smiled brightly up at him, her pale blue eyes dancing with secrets. "Does the illusion scare you, too?"

"Illusion?"

She nodded. "Of course. I might be considered a bit daft, but even I am not going to chance ruining my dress to sit in something as disgusting as whatever this stuff is supposed to be."

Ron considered the… whatever… again before finally taking a chance and sitting down next to her. He ignored the shocked looks and snickers that came from around him, everyone thinking that he'd gone completely mental. _Is this what she puts up with every day?_ Ron shook his head and turned to look at her.

"Why the illusion, then?"

"Harry wanted good seats."

"Ah." Ron couldn't help but trail his eyes along Luna's outfit… _her dress_, he supposed. He couldn't help a light snort as he realized upon inspection that her dress was a fitted sheet wrapped around her like a toga. The overall effect, while strange, would have been kind of nice but that the sheet had not been one color, but looked more like several coloring charms had been let loose on it.

"Do you like my dress?"

Ron wanted to tell her the truth… and normally he would have, but something held him back. "It's very… you, Luna. Very you."

He watched as her whole face lit up at his words, like he'd compared her to a goddess. Shaking his head, he glanced around to see who else he could see, but none of his immediate friends were around. Sighing, he looked at the pitch, wondering how today's battles were going to go down.

"Have you talked with Ginny?"

Ron shook his head. "I tried, but she called me a jerk… just because I wanted to know what was going on. Ya know?"

Luna frowned but agreed with him. "After everything that the wind told me, for her to just throw it aside like that." _The wind?_ "She yelled at me."

Ron almost hadn't heard her last words; they'd been spoken so softly. "What!" He rounded to face her, his skin suddenly feeling hot. He knew others were now looking at them, but he didn't care. "What do you mean she yelled at you? What happened?"

Luna shrugged her shoulders. "After everything that happened, I had to see her and know that she was okay… and she was… in a way, at first. Harry was out, but she was there waiting like she was supposed to. Then Draco came and Ginny went with him."

Ron leaned closer to her, the scent of wild flowers suddenly surrounding him. "What do you think happened?"

"I don't know." Ron was surprised to see tears starting to fall down her cheeks. "My best friend in the whole world and she raised her voice because I wanted to know why she was with Draco when she was supposed to be kissing Harry."

"She kissed him?" He had to force himself to stay calm.

Shrugging, Luna wiped absently at her face. "It's almost like… almost like when she and Harry would try to hide at first. Remember?" At his nod, she continued. "But when it was with Harry, the aura was pleasant and sweet. Loving. With Draco it's dark and painful. I don't understand."

"Is he hurting her?" He tried to keep the threat out of his voice, his hands curling into fists.

"I don't know, Ronald." She openly cried now. "She says all the right things and hangs all over him, but I don't think its right."

"Hey, guys."

Luna and Ron both looked up to see Neville and Hermione leading Harry towards them. Ron caught Luna wiping at her face several more times before the other three could get any closer. Ron immediately tried to buy her a little more time. Standing, he offered his arm to Harry, who quickly too it as he moved to sit down next to Luna.

"Thanks."

Ron ducked his head as he smiled. "Any time."

"Do you mind if I sit here?" Ron looked up to see Hermione. Wrinkling his brow, he nodded quickly as he realized that Hermione wanted to sit next to Harry.

"Of course."

"Thanks." She shot him a grateful smile. Before she sat, Ron watched as she quickly scanned the crown, her whole posture one of a mother lion protecting her cub. He shook his head that someone as powerful as Harry had shown himself to be might want some slip of a girl watching over him.

"Here, sit down, Ronald." Luna patted the other side of the seat. "If you stand, I won't be able to see and then I'll make you announce like Lee does during Quidditch, but you'll have to use the loud voice like he does and also tell everyone how you liked my dress and…."

Staring at her as she continued talking, Ron knew his ears were growing warm at the sudden interest everyone else had in alternating their looks between Luna and himself. Neville and Harry both looked shocked, but Hermione's eyes seemed like she was trying to work out a puzzle. In the hopes of getting the blonde to quiet down, he quickly moved to the other side of where everyone was sitting and sat next to Luna, who immediately stopped talking and smiled beautifully at him.

Trying hard not to roll his eyes, Ron leaned forward so he could see everyone else. "Hey. Where's Kenya?"

Hermione shrugged. "Said something about homework…"

"And you're not involved?" Ron regretted saying it the moment it left his mouth.

The bushy haired girl turned, her eyes flashing. "For your information, I have already done all of my homework so that I could not feel guilty about participating in this little group. Can you say the same?"

Ron shook his head and apologized, though she seemed barely modified. Sighing, he decided to try and change the subject and looked at the dark haired boy sitting next to her. "Harry. How are you holding up? Think you'll be ready tomorrow?"

Harry laughed as he moved better into Ron's view. "Tomorrow? Ron, didn't Professor McGonagall tell you? We're the last match today."

Ron felt like sputtering. "T-t-today?" Both Hermione and Neville were nodding. "B-but you're… and we… how do they… why would we…"

"Very eloquent, Ron." Hermione sniffed.

He ignored her, his eyes riveted on Harry. "Can you do this?"

It was Luna that leaned into him, her shoulder playfully bumping into his. "Of course he can."

"But you're all…"

"Helping him?" Neville asked, grinning.

"Making sure he doesn't all down?" Hermione winked conspiratorially.

"Bringing me breakfast in bed?" Harry added cheekily.

Ron watched as Hermione blushed. "Harry! I did no such thing. How can you say something like that… what will people think?"

Ron watched as Harry and Hermione started in on each other, their playful banter making him slightly dizzy. _Did he ever like my sister?_

"It's a show."

Ron looked at Luna, Neville bobbing his head in agreement behind her. "What?"

Luna jerked her head towards Harry and Hermione who were still talking quietly. "Those two. It's an act, just like Harry being in worse shape than he really is. Not to give away what's really going on."

He narrowed his eyes as he considered the blonde-haired girl's words. Ron watched Harry laugh at something Hermione said, his face at ease… but the laughter never reached his eyes. _His eyes look heartbroken._ "So…" He started, his voice low. "Harry and Hermione don't like each other like that?"

Luna tilted her head, her hair cascading across her shoulder. "They do, actually. Both of them… but Harry wants Ginny and Hermione wants Harry and Ginny together, so… that's all there will be until one of them decides to want something different and neither wants that."

"Wait. What?"

She pushed her hair behind her ear as she looked at him. "Ginny won't talk with Harry. He tried, but something always gets in the way… so Hermione is trying to protect Harry."

"Protect him." Ron repeated softly.

She smiled indulgently at him, her voice holding laughter. "They want to be friends to each other. Love is tricky when dealing with Harry Potter and the destiny he has to fulfill. He belongs with Ginny, just as she with him"

Ron brushed the hair away from his eyes as he looked disbelieving at Luna. "Destiny?"

"Sure." Luna stated brightly. "To save the world, silly."

"Come on, you two." Ron looked over to find Neville gesturing at them. "The next war game is about to start… stop playing kissy-face and lets watch Slytherin get their arses handed to them."

"Yeah…" Harry's voice carried darkly. "Let's hope so.

X O X O X O X O X O X O X O X

Ron grimaced as he continued bending and straightening his leg, hoping that the tightness in his leg would go away before a trip to the infirmary became necessary. Gritting his teeth, he pushed his hands hard against the swelling along the outer edge of his leg, knowing that there was no way he was going to be able to put any weight onto it without some type of assistance.

Glancing over at the other end of the pitch, Ron watched as Harry gently helped Hermione off of the ground, their movements leading Ron back to the earlier conversation with Luna regarding their not being in any type of relationship.

As if summoned at his thoughts of her, Luna was suddenly there, her eyes full of concern. "Are you okay?"

Ron felt like shouting. _Of course he wasn't okay! Did he look okay!_ Sighing, he bravely smiled up at the blonde standing over him, "In a minute… how is Neville?"

At the name, Luna pulled her blue eyes away from looking at him and her gaze shot off somewhere behind him. Looking over his shoulder in the general direction of where Luna was looking, Ron watched as Neville was vainly wiping at the dirt and mud off of his pants. To his side, Susan bones was asking him questions… questions that were causing the brown-haired boy to blush furiously.

Have to remember to ask him about that. Ron rolled his shoulders as he returned his attention to Luna who was still watching Neville and Susan. _Was she jealous? Of Susan?_ "Do you need to go check on Neville?"

A small part of him was happy to see the momentary flicker of hurt and surprise on Luna's face at his question, before the normal mask of insanity seemed to slide back down into place. He watched as she recomposed herself in less time than he could even consider it, her smile radiating out towards him. "Neville? Oh, no. But thank you for thinking of it. I was just wondering at where the strands would fall."

"Strands?" _Does this girl ever talk in the Queen's English?_

She nodded as she knelt down, helping Ron to look at her instead of having to crane his neck. "Nothing. Just how fate throws the weave together… sometimes with a purpose easily seen, most others without."

"Right." Ron licked at his teeth, wondering what in the world she was talking about. "Well… that was fun, wasn't it?"

Luna smiled, oblivious to his sarcasm. "Absolutely. Too bad it couldn't last longer."

Ron groaned at her words. _Last longer? It lasted too bloody long to begin with!_ Absently chewing on his lip, Ron considered the first match that he'd been a part of… fervently hoping that they were just having an off day, but knowing that as long as Ginny Weasley (the little traitor!) was hanging out with Draco Malfoy, things were not going to go easy… not at all.

Thinking back, Ron decided that he knew things weren't going to go well as he had been checking his wand in the wrist holder. Trying not to think about the previous matches they had witnessed, he remembered how Neville Longbottom had approached him, his hands twirling nervously.

"_Have you seen Ginny?"_

_He'd nodded at the question, refusing to look over his shoulder where Draco and his cronies had been sitting, Ginny Weasley right next to him, her hand on his knee while the little prat had his arm draped around her shoulder. _

"_What do we do about Harry?" Neville's eyes had flickered over to where Harry had been sitting next to Hermione, both of them checking the other to make sure that their dragonhide armor was correctly strapped in. They'd been lucky about the armor. Professor Shacklebolt and Professor Dumbledore both had realized the need when two students had been sent to the infirmary after the first match. _

"_He'll be fine… he's focused." Ron had replied, though he had known then that if seeing his little sister on the arm of the school's biggest prick was making him this angry, he couldn't imagine how it must feel towards someone that had chosen to be with her._

_The chance for conversation had ended then as the large, intimidating black auror had stepped up and announced that the last match of the day was ready to begin._

_Standing as straight and as tall as possible, Ron had joined the other three and met in the middle of the large circle that had been drawn in the middle of the playing field. He'd tried to dismiss the sick feeling he had in his stomach as nerves, but the truth was that he was nervous… facing off against a team made up of two Slytherin (Cork Warrington and Adrian Pucey), Michael Corner from Ravenclaw and some other kid Ron couldn't remember from Hufflepuff._

_It hadn't been the opponents. Ron was sure that they were the stronger team… in most cases. No. It had been how that Warrington git had smiled at Harry and casually stated that Harry should be honored that Ginny and Draco had taken the time away from all of the shagging they'd been doing lately to watch him lose and that maybe Ginny''d give him a ride once he personally embarrassed her ex-boyfriend._

_It had taken both Neville and Hermione, as well as one of the professors that had approached to find out what the hold up was, to hold Ron back from pulling his wand and winning the match then and there… but it had been Harry that had set the tone for the match, confirming Ron's gut instinct._

_Harry had flinched under the attack, but his eyes had hardened… possibly from having processed exactly what the Slytherin had said. Ron watched as Harry's eyes had become like living flame, emerald sparks dancing outwards from his face as he's lifted his hand and squeezed it into a fist. "Only if you live long enough."_

_All four boys had backpedaled at Harry's words… and it had been enough that even Ron stopped struggling against his teammates long enough for the DADA teacher to approach and lay out the rules for the war game match. Even now, Ron couldn't recall what the man had said… only that he'd known that it wasn't going to be a pretty fight, no matter how hard anyone tried to keep it._

_Hermione had gone down first this time… the boys deciding to pick on the only girl in the match. Neville had defended her immediately, his wand creating a shield for the two of them. _

_While the opposing team was focused on Hermione and Neville, he and Harry had started picking them off one by one. Corner and the Hufflepuff both fell fairly quickly… and Warrington had eventually fallen, though he'd lasted a fem moments longer._

_That had left Pucey. _

_Ron smiled as he remembered Harry's nod to him as the two of them started throwing hexes and curses at the poor boy. Things had seemed fine until Hermione's call of warning. Warrington tossed a curse at Harry from behind, one that Ron had quickly blocked but had ricocheted somehow at a off angle and hit Ron on the outer edge of his knee._

_And that, as they say, had been the final strike. Harry had turned and suddenly the game was no longer a game. He outstretched both arms, one hand holding a wand and the other empty… and had blasted (no other word for it) both of them and ending the match._

_Everyone had been silent at Harry's action, the cheering and catcalls all dropping away to quiet until both Fred and George, along with Lee and several of the other Gryffindors all stood up and cheered._

"At least you won, right?" Luna's smile had faltered. Ron admonished himself and nodded, watching as Luna's smile returned.

"Oh, yeah." He'd laughed, hoping ti didn't sound half as bad as it did to him. "If I'm going to get hurt, there better be a victory involved in it somehow for me."

"Mr. Weasley!" Ron suddenly felt a shadow fall over him. Looking up, Professor McGonagall standing over him, her lips in a straight line across her face. "Why haven't you reported that you were injured?"

Ron shrugged. "I saw that she was busy with the losing team," He jerked his thumb over to where their four opponents were still being looked at. "And I knew I could wait."

For just the briefest of moments, Ron was sure he saw something… admiration?... _No way_… flicker across the Transfiguration professor's face at his words. He waited for her to start yelling at him, but instead, he watched in amazement as the witch simply nodded.

"Make sure you see the school nurse before you leave this field, Mr. Weasley."

"Yes, ma'am." He replied quickly.

Luna kept alternating her gaze from him to the Head of his House. "I'll make sure he sees her, Professor."

Ron watched, as McGonagall seemed to take in everything all at once before she nodded curtly and then turned, her steps carrying her directly towards where Harry was standing.

Not really wanting to know but unable to stop, Ron turned his head towards the stands where there were still a lot of students hanging around, many of them possibly looking for a chance to talk to Shacklebolt or even Harry himself regarding the only positive win that Gryffindor had seen all day long. Even from his low vantage, Ron quickly caught a view of Ginny… her red hair an easy beacon.

She was standing in the midst of a group of Slytherins, Draco's arms holding her possessively, as the slimy snakes all were talking animatedly, several gestures and finger pointing towards where Harry, Hermione and Neville… and even himself… were.

"That won't be good." Luna stated.

Ron looked up at her to see that she was looking at the same thing he was. "How so?"

Luna shook her head, a movement he might have missed if he hadn't been this close to see it. "They're worried, all of them…"

"Good."

"No. Not good." Luna's voice was foreboding. "Everyone is upset except Ginny."

"Are you saying…?"

Luna held up her hand, forestalling Ron's inquiry. "Listen to me. Everyone over there is feeling something… nervousness, fear, anger… something. Even Draco, though he seems amplified somehow. But Ginny… Ginny doesn't seem to feel anything at all. I think she's not even really there."

"How do you know any of this?" Ron asked, his eyes never leaving her face.

He watched as Luna tilted her head and tapped him lightly on the nose. "Know any of what?"

Ron wanted to scream in frustration. "About what they're all feeling or not feeling."

She frowned, her face suddenly serious. "Why do you not know?"


End file.
